What Are Some Good Paying Jobs for Kids Under Eighteen Years?

Dog or Babysitting

• Most families are willing to hire children under 18 years for dog or babysitting jobs in their own home. If a child under the age of 18 can find a family or two that calls her on a regular basis, this can be a good way for teenagers to make money. In addition, the clients she builds can serve as references for college or future jobs. Children who are interested in babysitting should look into local programs that offer babysitting, first aid and CPR training. These certifications make them stand out among parents and give them a competitive edge among other teenage babysitters in the area. Being certified and trained also allows the teenager to ask for more money when babysitting.
  Dog sitting or dog walking for families who go away on vacation or on business can also make a teenager a lot of money. While there is no formal certification or training for prospective dog walkers or sitters, teenagers who have experience with and love dogs are preferred.

Yard or Landscape Work

• Once a client base is developed, a teenager can earn a lot of money by mowing lawns or doing yard work in the neighborhood. It's important to remember that in order to mow lawns or do yard work, tools are needed. So, unless the clients have their own that they're willing to let you use, it's important to factor in the costs in investing in your own.

Pool or Water Park Lifeguard

• Teenagers who are certified lifeguards can work at school, public or hotel pools. During the summer months, water parks hire hundreds of teenage lifeguards throughout the country. The American Red Cross offers lifeguard training for general life guarding, waterfront life guarding, water park life guarding and shallow water attendants. Teenagers must be at least 15 years old to complete the lifeguard certification course, but children under 15 years can get started by completing the Guardstart: Lifeguarding Tomorrow course.

Retail

• While state and store laws vary, retail stores usually hire teenagers starting at 16 or 18 years of age. However, in states where a lot of adults work in the retail setting, younger applicants may have a hard time getting hired because they are less qualified. Taking business or retail classes in high school can be a helpful addition if you are hoping to work a retail job during the summer or school year.

Food Service

• Almost all restaurants, coffee shops and fast food chains hire teenagers to work. The job duties for each location vary by the company and state laws. Some allow teenagers to work on the wait staff, while others only allow them to bus tables (cleaning up and resetting them between each customer.) For teenagers who can snag a wait staff job at a restaurant, it's possible to earn a lot of money through tips.