When they asked the little girl where her home was she replied - Where mother is

Caution: Children at Work

14
Jan

cautionI recently wrote an article for Black Press on a very disturbing trend that is happening in BC. More and more children are working out in the workforce - because BC is one of  the five provinces that allow children between the ages of 12 -14 to work (with parental consent).

I noticed it a few weeks ago when I was in the grocery store - a boy walked by me and wasn't more than 12 or 13 years of age and he was an employee there. And then I saw another child there, and then another....

Did you know that more than 13,000 children were injured on the job in 2003 - (according to the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Report?) And that a direct correlation has been found between children under the age of 17 who are working, and children who drop out of high school?

Children are children for such a short amount of time and the fact that employers are exploiting the Child Labour Laws, so that they can fill positions and save money is well, just plain horrible.

Some parents may think that they are teaching their children valuable lessons in life by letting them work real jobs out in the workforce, but I don't agree. I think that a twelve year old should be playing - shoud be having fun..not worrying about their next shift at the grocery store.

The BC Employment Standards Act needs to be changed. And if parents really want their child to learn some valuable lessons about the real world - let them volunteer in the community, get them involved in a paper route, or even a babysitting job.

But for goodness sakes, let them be children. They have the rest of their lives to work like the rest of us....don't rush them before their time.

To view my article in its entirety - click on the Archives tab.

 

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Kelley Scarsbrook (not verified) | Tue, 01/15/2008 - 21:30

Making a child work for money in an adult job is wrong - any way you cut it.

I have received far more email than ever from people who agree with my article and believe it to be just as disturbing as I do.

I'm not using scare tactics in my article - but making a point. I know from experience that working in a grocery store is labour intensive. I also know that a child is far more at risk of having an accident than an adult.

You use the point that you think this is about good children vs bad parents/employers - but its not. It's about doing what right for all children who are pushed by their parents in to a workforce before they should be.

I say - shame on any parent who condones thier child working at such a young age. At twelve years old - a child needs to be focused on school, homework,friends, and having fun. They should not be concerned with shifts, making money and dealing with customers.

Things like money for movies, money for computer games, etc. should be given to them by way of an allowance, and earning it through odd jobs in the community.

If they need to earn money for University, do it after they turn sixteen (like I did). I was taught responsibility, independence and a sense of accomplishment by my parents without being in the workforce at age twelve.

Our child labour laws do need to be changed - we are only one of five provinces that allow the absurd age of under fourteen to be legal - it needs to be raised to sixteen. Most employers won't hire a child under the age of sixteen for the reasons I stated in my article and above.

And yes, it wasn't that long ago that we sent our children off to war and off to marry at an early age...but there's a lot of things from the past that our society has evolved from...and for good reason.

We are talking about CHILDREN - and having a child under the age of fourteen out in the workforce, working an adult job is a form of abuse - by parents, by employers and by society - if we turn a blind eye to it.

 

 

 

Anonymous (not verified) | Tue, 01/15/2008 - 15:22

The situation at the store with blood is clearly terrible - however it has nothing to do with Child Labour Laws - my 4 year old knows better than to walk around with a dripping bloody finger and certainly knows when to do what he is told.

There is no good reason to change child employment laws based on one experience or situation - certainly not for the sake of children being children. Blame the store, the employees, the parents of the child, the child - but dont blame my kids and all the kids out their that work and do a good job at it. And dont take away their paying jobs whatever they may be for a job you think is more suitable based on statistics or just age.

And dont use scare tactics to prove your point.

Let us know the statistics for the number of children who are injured at school and at the playground in 2003. Then tell us how many are injured because parents failed to follow the instructions on using items around the house.

Statistically speaking - you have not shown us how many children are completing school with good grades and being employed. You have not shown us how many "children" apply for student loans so they can attend university because they have no income/savings (and then worse - default on the loan). You have not shown an example of a paid job where a young person has excelled. You focus on the negative and want to change laws for one case.

Children do learn a valuable lesson about work ethics, team work, the value of money, being resposible from working - whether that be a paid position or a volunteer position or even a "job" at home. Dont force them to walk the "cold, lonely, sexual-predator laden streets delivering papers to drug houses, transition homes". Now there are some good scare tactics to keep all our children safe in our homes until they are well past 30.

Whilst its wonderful to see children playing - there is no reason both a job and playtime cannot be combined (especially in a 1st world country where most children do not need to work to eat). After all - in the "real" world - they must have the skills to balance work and play - teaching them at a "young" age makes it easier to handle. And money management is an excellent way to teach them the value of money, the value of their time, and the value of the things they buy.

If you do not trust your child to pack a grocery bag - I do not trust them to babysit my child (which is technically much more difficult). Changing the labour laws isnt necessary - making sure that parents/employers/employees understand what is reasonable to make a child do at a specific age makes more sense and is less reactive. Children at grocery stores do not need to answer questions about the products (some adults can barely do this task) - but there is no reason they can not help with bagging, sweeping, packing, stacking, sorting, cleaning - jobs that are menial but need to be done and teach kids about patience, responsibility and respect.

Your experience of working retail shows that it wasnt suitable for you - but that doesnt mean a 16 yr old can not have a job of significant resposibility. After all - not long ago - our children were married off and parents at the age of 16 (and younger) and fighting in wars.

Dont punish good kids for a few bad parents/employers/employees