First Job

My 14 year old is a busy girl. She's been wanting to get a job. She applied at Publix in December but they were hiring closers. She tried to get a babysitting gig with no success. I don't understand why she is so gung-ho about it. I don't think she needs to work. She's young and has a full plate already but I support her 100%.

She was invited to participate in All-County Orchestra and last month she had a rehearsal on the other side of the county. It was a crazy day and we were pressed for time, so we stopped at Chikfila for dinner. We ordered our food and then sat down to eat and chat. After a few minutes, she just got up and walked off. I thought she went to the bathroom. She came back with an application. "You're applying for a job?" I asked. She shrugged, "Yeah, I just got this feeling like I'm supposed to work here. At THIS Chikfila."
                           
"It would be the perfect job for you since you already know the entire menu," I told her. Seriously, she is obsessed with Chikfila. She does study group at Chikfila, she hangs out with her youth group friends at Chikfila, anytime she wants a treat - she wants to go to Chikfila.

I didn't want her to get her hopes up because she is only 14, plus she'd have to tell them about her crazy band schedule. But, you never know. She handed in the application and off we went.

A few days later, she got an email for a group interview. She was so excited. Then they called her back for a one-on-one interview, and then another one-on-one interview. It was an intense 2 weeks because the waiting inbetween was excruciating. It was like Survivor - will she make it or be voted off the island?

Then they called her and offered her the job and she was OVER THE MOON! I was super happy for her. The next day she came to me and asked if I could help her fill out her new-hire paperwork. She whipped out her social security card. "Where did you get that?" I asked. "I know where we keep all that kind of stuff." Who knew? I'm impressed. I'm not sure my husband knows where that stuff is.

We sat together and filled out the tax forms. It's a weird thing to do with your child. "Well, it's official - you are a tax paying citizen."

She went to orientation and then had her first shift. She looked so cute in her uniform behind the counter. My baby is a big girl, with a big girl job.

She got her first pay check last week. It was $56. She was so happy. She wanted to get a gel manicure with her first check, so she did that. It was her splurge. Later in the week, she asked if we could stop at McDonald's in the morning for coffee. "Why McDonalds? Don't you love Starbucks?" I asked. "Well, McDonald's is only like a dollar and I'm not trying to spend all my money," she said. Interesting how that works. If I was paying, she would have asked for Starbucks.

I'm really proud of her. She is a get-up-and-go kind of kid. I really don't have to be on her very much at all. She is very responsible, very organized. She has her Cozi App and calendar on her phone and she has a calendar on her wall next to her bed. She likes to SEE things right in front of her.

She has her shit together more than some adults I know. That is not to say that she isn't a typical teenager. She is. She procrastinates which drives me INSANE. She pushes me a bit. We got into it the other week because she wanted to sleep over her friend's house on a school night. Ummmm.....NO. In general though, she is a good kid. Very responsible, AB student, nice person. I love her but I also really LIKE her. I enjoy her company. 

Now her plate is VERY full, but that's okay. It will be a good experience for her. She is highly capable and she will do great. Admittedly, it is a little bittersweet for me. She is my baby but she is not a little girl anymore, she is a young woman. 

I picked her up from work yesterday and she was chatting excitedly inbetween bites of chicken nuggets and my heart was full. This is a beautiful time in our lives.