People have been debating whether 14-year-old should be allowed to work
(Picture: Getty Images)A father has sparked fierce debate online over children in the workforce, after posting on Facebook about his 14-year-old son working “every day” at Burger King.
He explains how his son has a part-time job at the fast-food chain, and that he works “everyday he can.”
This also includes weekends “when most kids are out enjoying the summer he goes in early and stays late almost every time he works.”
Though the father insists that his teenage son “loves every minute of it.”
“Making his own money, saving for a car, and being responsible in his decisions, become a respectable young man!!! I couldn’t be more proud of him”
“Some of y’all lazy, grown ass people out there should take notes!! #prouddad,” he added.
Though it appears that some disagree with the father’s views, as the original post went viral when it was re-shared on Twitter by a user who described it as “depressing.”
god this is depressing pic.twitter.com/d3B5lArxQC
— c a i t (@kittynouveau) June 9, 2021
More than 165,000 people on the site have liked the tweet and others agree that the 14-year-old was missing out on his childhood.
I feel this kid is missing out on a lot of his childhood I mean if he asked to do it he can do what he wants but I miss being a kid and having no responsibility and just being a kid
— NeonSlug (@slug_neon) June 9, 2021
So fun fact, this type of stuff causes psychological damage in adult life. As it turns out when kids don't get their full childhood to be children they struggle to be adults in adulthood
— Purple Panda (@purplepanda1310) June 10, 2021
my kid has no friends, social life or hobbies, take notes grown adults!
— hot ghoul summer (@beccamarshmallo) June 9, 2021
The dad even acknowledges that kids would usually be having fun with their friends during summer, but all his son does is work all day everyday and he somehow doesn’t see anything wrong with that. He’s 14. He should be enjoying his life and his dad should encourage him to do that
— Jamie (@kiryustan) June 10, 2021
Don't states with laws like this let companies pay 14-16 year olds less than min wage? Poor kid is missing out on his childhood for pennies.
— 2021 Jump Street (@IrateMaxwell) June 9, 2021
I was encouraged both by management and by my parents to overwork myself. I think it was seen as “learning work ethic”. All I got from it was an unhealthy relationship with work that I carry to this day. This post makes my stomach ache. That kid should enjoy youth, not work.
— August (@AugustBreak118) June 10, 2021
Some have even argued that this behaviour advocates child labour practices, and criticized the US law system for allowing this to happen.
In the US, 14-year-olds are allowed to work but only for a limited number of hours, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
But, this also depends on the occupation too.
The people mocking others for being concerned over this kid's welfare are ridiculous. How is this CHILD working PART-TIME working every day he can (weekends included), coming in EARLY, and leaving LATE? This SCREAMS of labor exploitation taking advantage of an over-eager child. https://t.co/Bf7ucGNF9u
— • 🐾Southpauz🐾 • (@SouthpauzArt) June 11, 2021
Glorifying child labour 😩😩 https://t.co/lvRDdcYtCt
— Jakub Bobro (@bobrojakub) June 10, 2021
The child labor laws in the US explicitly allow for the kind of exploitation we're seeing here.
— Constance Strawn (@AstroTsukino) June 11, 2021
Not grown ass people praising child labour and exploitation https://t.co/uWnTxpvtnk
— lina (@Linasrain) June 11, 2021
Meanwhile, many discussed on how the father’s praises reflects society’s current attitudes towards employment and earning money.
our fetishization of employment is really gross https://t.co/CYHAZG7tiJ
— colin (@canders114) June 10, 2021
Struggle porn is always disgusting https://t.co/Ne0yg2xhRW
— Fail! (@adan_1227) June 10, 2021
romantization of exploitation is a serious problem in our society https://t.co/IUYot6oDep
— luís 🇵🇹 (@screamwhiteboy) June 10, 2021
Though, equally there were a lot of people who commented sharing their own experiences working at a similar young age.
Each with varying opinions on whether they found getting jobs at as a teen beneficial.
Same!! I was forced to start working at 16 and i was mad about it back then, but tbh it gave a lot of time to build up my resume, and a sense of how money works and made me more self sufficient at a younger age! And by the age of 23 was able to get a better job bc of prior
— loofus (@funf3tti) June 10, 2021
I started working for my own money at age 12, and I agree that making your own money teaches you money management, standing up for yourself, motivation, people skills. My mom didn’t buy me anything because we were so poor. If my mom could have bought me clothes she would have.
— Bastthekitty (@Stephen27241447) June 10, 2021
I got forced into near full-time work at 15 bc my mom wanted me to be this kid. It was one of the most stressful things I've ever been through. Kids have no business working and evangelicals are dangerous.
— captain JORTS (@_cassiopeiamoon) June 10, 2021
i started working at 14 and it 1000% ruined my childhood lol
— gremlin 👽 (@cedroners) June 10, 2021
My first job was at 14 and, while I chose to get one, I wouldn't recommend it to any 14 yo now. The system crushes you anyway, but at that age you get used to how you're treated vs. the treatment you deserve as a human. And what a heartless statement about "laziness". Yikes.
— AN Solstice 🌈 (@ScrtSolstice) June 11, 2021
However, there were people that didn’t see a problem with the child working to earn some money.
I think it's great that his kid has a job. Kudos. The thing is, this kid doesn't have bills to pay. His parents are feeding him and making sure he has a roof over his head. Adults don't have that luxury. Comparing the two is hardly accurate.
— Wash your hands, please. (@Plastically_Eve) June 10, 2021
This is fantastic. People are acting like this young man was sent to prison or a summer camp that he doesn’t want to attend. The look on his face is genuine just like the original post. People, parent your kids how you want but this isn’t neglect it’s responsibility.
— Rich Wittebort (@RichWittebort) June 10, 2021
Depressing? Seems like he’s got his head screwed on properly to me. His parents raised a hustler. https://t.co/kEVrx6C4e0
— Pretty Boy Floyd (@1ndrit) June 10, 2021
People legit mad that other people have a go-getter attitude. Im sure the kid doesnt plan to work at BK the rest of his life, he’s 14 and he’s earning a paycheck. Relax. https://t.co/0XmzRIkE54
— Atomic Denny (@AtomicDenny) June 10, 2021
The debate come as reports show the US labor force shrank slightly — by 53,000 workers — in May.
It appears that the labor force are returning to work slower than anticipated after the pandemic.
As there are about 3.5 million fewer people in the workforce relative to February 2020, CNBC reported.
