Hellobee Boards

I was 17! Ice cream scooper at Baskin Robbins.

I babysat pretty young but at 15 I got my working papers and worked at a coffee shop (Dunkin's)

Baby sitting at about 12/13 but I had a real job at 16

I was 12. I worked one or two days a week after school shelving books at the library. I don't think I would want my lo to work that young or during the school year like I did.

15 at Chick-Fil-a!

Other than cleaning my parents' daycare's bathroom, my first real job was at 16, as a hostess at Outback. Fun job for a high schooler..stayed there till I graduated and moved for college.

First job was working in a church daycare at 13!

@autumnlove: i remember pralines and cream being popular with some older clients. and one man always got french vanilla. my fave was world class chocolate - what about you?

Hmmmm I've worked for my mom in some facet since I was about 13 doing office administrative work & now bookkeeping. I think I'd be okay with the kiddos working around that age.

@mrbee: I delivered papers too... probably around 4th grade.

Other than that, I worked at an assisted living facility in the kitchen around 15.

I think I was 16 and it was a cashier at a grocery store.

Babysat from like 12 onward, but first 'job' at 14. I worked at a movie theater for the summer and it was awful. I couldn't drive so when I had to work until midnight or later my mom would have to come get me. I haaaated that job.

I worked at my parent's restaurant when I was a kid, usually stuff like putting orders together and such. I had my first real job working at American Eagle when I was in college. My parents didn't let me work any earlier because I was only allowed to spend my free time working at the restaurant. Bleh.

I had a paper round at 14 and first proper job working at my Mum's workplace at 15.

@mrbee: I was 14 working in a hair salon. I would be fine with that, probably not with delivering papers at 9.

My first real job was bussing tables at a ski resort day lodge. I was 14. I babysat before that, though.

I babysat and worked at horse ranches as a trail ride leader from a really young age (like 11 for the ranch?), but my first "legal" job was at 15 as an Editorial Assistant at a magazine.

I was an intern, and I moved internationally for that job. Looking back I can't believe my parents allowed/encouraged me to move thousands of miles away from them at 15 for a job. It was great experience for me though, and I was a pretty self-sufficient kid by that time so I guess they knew I'd be fine. I was!

At 12 I started working as the janitor for our local newspaper office. I used to wk from school to work and then home (about 2 miles total) twice a week. I'd let my kid work, but I'd want to drive the I think manual labor teaches a good work ethic.

First W-2 giving job, I was 16. Once I was able to drive, I immediately found a job at a surf shop. I stayed there through high school. And it was still the best job I've ever had.