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The school year is winding down and many students will be on the hunt for summer jobs in the coming weeks.

In some cases, the student decides on their own that they would like some more spending money, or to save for something in particular.

For other students, they may need more 'encouragement' from their parents.

In either case, it's very important to decide on the reasoning and motivations for a student to get a summer job.

The challenge for a parent is to be clear in their own mind why they are pushing their teenager to seek employment and what they hope the benefits for them and their children are going to be.

Here are some tips and things to think about when sending your teenager out to find a summer job.

Why do I want my son or daughter to get a job?

The most obvious answer to this question is "money", but it's a little more complicated than that.

Do you want your child to be self-reliant and be responsible for all of their own spending money? Do you want them to learn about budgeting?

Is there an expensive item that they are saving for and a job is one way to achieve the goal more quickly? Will the experience be worthwhile?

Having concrete reasons for wanting your teenager to get a job will generally make convincing them of the benefits an easier job for the parents.

What kind of job do I think they can handle or would benefit from?

There are as many kinds of summer jobs available as there are students looking for them. Some of these jobs have unusual or seemingly random hours.

Others are more physically demanding. Many are minimum wage or slightly above.

No one knows your child as well as you do, so discussing with them what they have in mind and helping them to narrow the focus somewhat can definitely reduce headaches for parents and children alike.

What kind of commitment and support can I give my child?

A part time job often increases not only the responsibility that your child has, but is often another commitment for the parents as well.

Making sure that your son or daughter has a way to and from work often takes some adjustment. It's up to parent and child to see how smoothly the schedule of any working individual fits in with the family.

How many hours should my child work?

This is a question that is incredibly variable depending on your own family situation and the particular child.

What other commitments and involvements do they have? Do they participate in sports or volunteer activities?

Even with the longer days of summer, it's important that your child has a balance between work and leisure.

The few weeks between one school year are the next are a necessary break for many students and it's important to recharge for another school year.

How can I help my child?

The best thing that you can do is be supportive and to communicate with your child.

Provide help where you can and help find resources for areas that you are unsure about. Resume writing, interview skills and other parts of the job hunt are useful skills to have.

Ultimately, the more focused and prepared both you and your child are, the more successful and positive the experience will be for everyone.

* Paul Merrigan is a certified private personal counsellor and stay-at-home dad to two boys. He holds a M.Ed. in Counselling Psychology. To contact him or ask a parenting question for a future column, email paulmerrigan@hotmail.com or call 364-7401.