Adolescents who need to save money for a car, new phone, clothes, or even sports equipment should be given opportunities to earn money, even though they do not yet have real-job experience. They could babysit, mow lawns, walk dogs, clean houses. When they outgrow these starter jobs, they could move up restaurant work like at McDonalds or Braums.

One problem is when teens need a job but also play sports. It doesn’t tend to turn out well because of away games and after-school practices. If you miss a game, you could kicked off the team. If you miss a shift, you could lose your job.

Teens need to prioritize — either earn money for material items or play sports to improve your skills. True, business managers need to be able to trust that the teens they hired will show up for their shifts. However, some teens find it difficult to choose between the two options. When teens want to play in sports and work, they should be allowed to both.