Getting your first job can be exciting. It feels like a step toward independence, having your own money, and making your own way in the world. It can also be a frightening awakening to the grim realities of the adult working world. My first job was a bundle of interesting experiences. I had an eccentric boss who had unconventional ways of running her business, and I learned a lot from watching her work. More acutely, I  learned to look for warning signs in an employer. Everything turned out fine, but since I was young, I could have easily been taken advantage of. 

When you’ve never had a job before, it’s harder to stand up for yourself. That’s hopefully where parents come in. When the time is right, they can swoop in and protect their child from being exploited. That’s exactly what happened in this recent Reddit story where a kid’s potential first job turned into a teachable moment.