The Effects of Teens Working Too Many Hours

Health

• When your teen has to balance work and school, it can be a stressful juggle for him. According to Johns Hopkins University, a little stress in your teen̵7;s life may be helpful and useful, but long stretches can be damaging to his mental and physical health. When the stresses of school, life and working long hours come together for extended periods of time, his body will have little time to relax and recover. When high levels of the stress hormone cortisol are released, it can depress the functioning of his immune system. Not only does this make his body more susceptible to illness, it can also cause sleep disturbances, skin diseases and infections.

Academic Concerns

• With more time being spent at a job, there will be less time to dedicate to studying, doing homework and reading. This can negatively impact a student̵7;s school performance, according to Patricia Tanner Nelson, family and child development specialist at the University of Delaware, and Stephen F. Hamilton, associate professor at Cornell University. If your teen works, sit down with him and show him how to pencil homework time into his schedule.

Money

• For your teen, that paycheck is probably what keeps him motivated through those long work hours. Some teens obtain a part-time job to contribute to the family income or to save for future education expenses. If your teen doesn't already have a plan for what he's going to do with this newfound source of income, you may want to have a serious talk with him about ways to spend his cash wisely, saving for an expensive item, such as a car, or about putting some of his money away for life after high school. Without a cash saving or spending plan, encouragement and guidance, he may spend it on inappropriate items, such as drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

Attitude

• According to Johns Hopkins University, stress in general is neutral, but a person̵7;s perception of the event determines his response. If your teen feels overwhelmed, stressed and out of control by working too many hours, he will be. But if he feels stimulated and happy working, he will enjoy the challenge of working more hours. When your teen sees his job as an opportunity to feel good about himself, learn responsibility and be treated like an adult, he will be more motivated and his self-esteem will be positively affected.

Work, School, Life Balance

• To make a job work while attending high school, your teen needs to find balance between the two. The Child Labor Coalition of the National Consumers League sets the work limit for 14- to 15-year-olds at three hours daily and 15 hours per week during the school year, and no more than 40 hours per week during the summer. They set the limit for 16- to 17-year olds at four hours per day and 20 hours per week during the school year, and no more than 40 hours per week during the summer. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry also suggests decreasing teenage stress and the effects on the body by trying to squeeze in some exercise; eating regularly; learning a relaxation technique; practicing coping skills; decreasing negative talk and finding time to engage in enjoyable activities; such as listening to music, appreciating art or hanging out with friends.