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As you grow into your late teens, if there’s something that motivates plenty of folk, that is money. Especially if you grow up in a household where money isn’t particularly abundant, and certainly not flowing in your bank account every month, money (or a lack of it) can feel like a barrier in life. Whether what you want to do is hang out with your friends at the mall, buy a car, or save for college, a lack of income can feel quite stifling.

And as a teen, this limitation is hard to deal with. Because you’re at school most of the time, so you can’t just go out and get a full time job – even though plenty of folk would love to do this instead. But with a sensible frame of mind, waiting that little bit longer to get your qualifications is key – because while you might be happy earning minimum wage now, in a decade or two when you have kids and a house to maintain, you might be wanting to earn a lot more, and your qualifications are your first step towards that.

So naturally, plenty of teens compromise by working part time at the weekends, to put a little amount in their bank accounts whilst still being able to keep up with their lives and their school work. The guy in this story is in that same boat – his mom, however, is not on board.

Read on to find out why not.

AITA for wanting to go to work?

I’m eighteen, and just got my first job a week and a half ago – though I’ve been looking for one since I turned sixteen.

I haven’t even gotten my first paycheck. I’m also still in high school.

About a couple hours ago (I found out like three hours ago) I notified my mother that I needed to be dropped off at McDonalds’s at 9pm tonight.

Let’s see how this guy’s mom responded to the request.

She was not happy about that, because I’m a high school student or something. She wanted the shift manager’s number and all that.

I know I can stay up until 1am (when closing shift ends) and don’t care about washing dishes or whatever until then, and I notified her of this.

She responded with: “I don’t care, you’re a high school student, that’s not gonna work.”

AITA?

It’s great that this teen is being resourceful and trying to earn some extra money.

But it is important to make sure that this doesn’t interfere with school work – after all, getting qualifications is key to the rest of his life.

And when he’s working late? It’s going to affect everything.

Let’s see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person agreed that working late shifts wasn’t a good idea.

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And others thought that it was important to check that he was legally allowed to work late.

Meanwhile, this Redditor thought that eighteen, he had every right to make his own decisions.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a student who did the math and figured out he was better off skipping school than serving detention if he forgot his ID.

The chances are his mom is concerned about how his work will affect his schoolwork – and as an older person she likely has a better concept of just how much more important his qualifications are than earning a little cash from a part time job. But at eighteen, cash feels important – and he’s prioritising work as a result. As his mom it’s her job to protect him from exploitation too, and scheduling a high schooler to work late, probably on lower wages, is just that.

However, she needs to go about that better. Her communication here was terrible, simply telling him how things were rather than expressing her concerns and trying to work out something between them. In the end, as his mom, she needs to be teaching him about healthy communication and negotiations, as well as how to healthily express emotions – and she did none of those things. Realistically, he is an adult and can make his own choices – and though she can refuse to drive him to work if she wants, he needs guidance from his mom, not whatever this was.

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Author

Kyra Piperides

Kyra Piperides, PhD | Contributing Science Writer

Dr. Kyra Piperides is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter, specializing in Science & Discovery. Holding a PhD in English with a dedicated focus on the intersections of science, politics, and literature, she brings over 12 years of professional writing and editorial expertise to her reporting.

Kyra possesses a highly authoritative background in academic publishing, having served as the editor of an academic journal for three years. She is also the published author of two books and numerous research-driven articles. At TwistedSifter, she leverages her rigorous academic background to translate complex scientific concepts, global tech innovations, and environmental breakthroughs into highly engaging, accessible narratives for a mainstream audience.

Based in the UK, Kyra is an avid backpacker who spends her free time immersing herself in different cultures across distant shores—a passion that brings a rich, global perspective to her writing about Earth and nature.

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