Once upon a time everyone’s newspaper was delivered by a boy. Paper routes were the first job you could get. All you needed to deliver newspapers was a bike and a few hours of free time in the morning.
These days, paper delivery is handled by private contractors who hire their own delivery men, usually older people with cars looking for extra income. That doesn’t mean you can’t find a paper route job for your teen, it just means finding the job will require a different approach.
Why a paper route?
Paper routes are perfect training jobs for kids who are about to enter high school. The responsibility of a paper route is a great test of their maturity and they can earn their own money for dates or to save for their first car or for college. A paper route is a simple job that won’t interfere too much with summer activities like driver’s education or summer classes or camps.
Find a paper delivery job
Contact your local newspaper to find out how they handle their paper delivery service. They will most likely point you to the name of the person who hires people to do paper delivery in the neighborhood you live in or a nearby neighborhood.
Talk to the person in charge of paper work and explain what you are doing. They may initially be hesitant to hire a young man for a paper delivery job, but if you explain the purpose of giving them the job, they may be willing to deliver a small route in the neighborhood. Mention that they only need to pay minimum wage and that they need to be vigilant.
convince your son
They no longer make 14-year-olds like they used to. Explain to your son why you want him to have this job, emphasizing that he will have his own money. He may want to add something to sweeten the pot, like if they complete a summer’s paper delivery, he’ll reward them with a trip to a favorite place or some money to buy their first car.
Finding neighborhood newspaper delivery jobs for 14 year olds isn’t as easy as it used to be, but the benefits of the job are the same as always. The child leaves the house for a few hours in the morning, earns his own money and learns the responsibilities of having a job.
