Teens Getting Jobs To Help Their Families Make Ends Meet

February 28, 2012 1:22 AM

Reporting Tony Lopez

LOCKEFORD (CBS13) – Born out of necessity in this brutal economy there is now a different type of child support. This one involves teenagers looking for work in record numbers — trying to help their parents make ends meet.

But it’s easier said than done. The most recent numbers from the labor department show California’s unemployment rate at 11.1 percent. For teenagers in our state, the unemployment rate is at a staggering 35 percent. It’s the highest in the nation behind only Washington, D.C.

In the tiny town of Lockeford just east of Lodi, inside this small well-kept home, just off main street there’s a fight going on, but it’s not what you think. There are no punches being thrown. No blood being spilled, but there are tears being shed -– tears from a young woman in a battle she never thought she’d have to fight at such a young age.

“It’s pretty overwhelming,” said the Melissa Zarate.

The battle is survival in this gut-wrenching economy.

“Yeah, it makes me feel good because I can help my mom now,” said Melissa.

See, these are tears of joy, satisfaction and pride of a job well-done. It’s a job born out of necessity.

“I feel like I need to help my mom,” she says.

Eighteen-year-old Melissa is doing just that — by going to work.

The high school senior doesn’t make much working just 15 hours a week inside a Lodi thrift store, but nearly every penny of her paycheck (her first was for $128) is going toward fighting the battle so many families are facing. It’s going to help pay the bills

“Right now, I’m helping pay for gas and PG&E,” said Melissa.

Her mother, Martha, wasn’t thrilled about her oldest daughter feeling the need to get a job.

“I didn’t ask her to go to work. She wanted to go because she was seeing that I was struggling,” said Martha.

Being a single mother with four children is a tough road. It’s even tougher when you make $22,000 a year as a teachers’ assistant.

“Everything is so expensive; gas, food and clothes and just my income, it’s not enough for five in the family,” said Martha.

So Martha has decided to go back to school to study English. An A.A. degree will help increase her salary and keep her current job.

Yes, daughter Melissa is her tutor and her younger brother’s as well.

It’s a lot for an 18-year-old to handle.

“And I guess maybe it’s too much for her. I don’t know I’ve never asked her that question,” said Martha.

When asked if it is too much, Melissa says “no.”

Her answer is not surprising and her maturity is impressive. But the speed in which Melissa Zarate is being forced to grow up is a reflection of these tough times. And she’s not alone.

“In the last three years the number of young people coming in has doubled,” said Christine Welsch at SETA /Sacramento Works.

Christine is with a Sacramento-based group called SETA that helps young people find jobs. The reeling economy has given teenagers a real wake-up call.

“You wouldn’t think a 17-year-old would be even thinking about paying rent to their parents, but they’re feeling that burden,” said Christine.

Feeling the burden but meeting the challenge, Melissa says she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Remembering that first extra dollar she was able to give her mom was priceless.

“It felt good, yeah,” said Melissa.

She realizes that money matters, yes, but family matters more.

Because of the tough job market for teenagers, it took Melissa over a year to find her job. She says many of her friends who need work just can’t find it and their families continue to struggle.

Teens Getting Jobs To Help Their Families Make Ends Meet

shawn

the middle class takes more in services then they pay in taxes…thats the problem its not the poor~
molly

Sadly more and more families are head by single mothers.. And many men
do fail to provide for their children. The numbers don’t lie they show this to be true.
It’s a failure of the character of men to not maintain financial responsibility
to their children. I worked as a teenager my mother was widowed very
young. I’ve talked to older people who said they had to leave school to
help out their parents.
sp12

Is it a big deal that an 18-year old is working? I’d hope my kids are doing something by the time they’re 14 or 15.
shane

I don’t understand “the pace in which she is forced to grow up.” The girl is 18, I am currently 27 and own my own company I have worked since the age of 13. I think these kids are lazy, my opinion is at 18 you should have a job no matter what the economic climate. When my kid gets old enough to work he/she will. There is not a set age in my opinon and it will not matter how wealthy we are, it builds character which it seems a lot of youth are lacking these days.
shane

I don’t understand “the pace in which she is forced to grow up.” The girl is 18, I am currently 27 and own my own company I have worked since the age of 13. I think these kids are lazy, my opinion is at 18 you should have a job no matter what the economic climate. When my kid gets old enough to work he/she will. There is not a set age in my opinion and it will not matter how wealthy we are, it builds character which it seems a lot of youth are lacking these days.
Terry48

These are the new jobs Obama has been bragging about! LOL!
Terry48

We in California are currently living Obama’s second term. The rest of the country can look at our economy and see what is in store if he gets 4 more years.
Beth

What’s the big deal? Starting at 16 I bought all my own clothing, food, and paid for my piano lessons! I was a server in a very busy restaurant and made a lot of money for a teenager plus I ate there at no charge. If any teen wants to wear rags or shop at Goodwill, let them. Otherwise, get a job and buy the things you want. This isn’t really about helping mom, this is about paying your own way. She pays her way and mom takes care of the other three.

Terry48

Concur.

James Woods

Wow; alot of sarah palin conversation here. Not sure what she has to do with it.

The fact is we the taxpayers are on the hook for alot of deadbeat moms _and_ dads.

A woman who chooses to have a child that cannot at least 50% support that child herself is just as accountable as the father.

We have a government that breeds and endorses poverty and single parent homes because it keeps you under their control; keeps you looking to government for help.

Can’t afford kids? Don’t have them.

Condoms might not be 100% but guess what is? Yeah imagine that; not giving yourself away until you can afford what can come of it.
Alex

Im proud of young people stepping up to the plate to help their families. Bravo for them. It demonstrates responsibility, maturity and care for others. Despite other factors, it shows that there are still lots of decent people in this country.
John

It’s Bush’s fault!

David

Bush made 3.5 billion in debt and he took responsibilities for that, but Obama tripled that debt and blames Bush for that. So, who’s fault is it really? The guy that made our situation 3 times worst or Bush? Of course Obama, you fool.

Terry48

Concur. You are absolutely right!

jerseycat07503

Hey Ab you have no idea what happened to the father/husband of this woman,but your post shows what kind of person you are ,why not point your rude ,stupid comment toward the man instead of lambasting the woman know your facts and oh yeah shut up
helen

getting a job at 17 or 18 and helping your family is not growing up too fast – its actually even late to start helping out around most of the world. Maybe one benefit of these tough economic times is that more teenagers will be forced to face reality and grow up – we allow them to act like kids well into their early 20′s, even sometimes late 20′s or early 30′s – what this girl is doing is good, and she is mature – but it is by no means extraordinary in this world -

Norman

Thank you!!!- My first job was when I was 10 delivering papers, I was the only person I knew who had anything to do with purchasing their own car in high school and here I am at 30 doing better than most people in my class without going to college, but WITH having a work ethic… You’d be amazed at how much more a stupid person will get done than a smart person whose looking to only work “smarter, not harder”… I’ve even run into college students who, rather than realizing they have an easy task of faxing a sheet of papers, choose to complain about it without doing it, citing how intelligent they are and asking me “Do you know what I have a degree in?”
My guess is they don’t have a degree in possessing an attractive personality and thus, a problem for finding work when the people who work with you have to be around you.

Ben Bklackstone

My experience with this has been opposite. I show people how to make $50 a day working only 4 hours and it does not involves selling. Yet only a few have taken the positions and it does not even cost anything. I’m on gmail……..benblackstone7
http://thrivinginthe21stcentury.com/?p=395 Weekly Update: April 4, 2012 | Thriving in the 21st Century

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