She didn’t tell her daughter that she’d be taking more than half of the money she made from tutoring until after the fact. 

Any kid who has the gusto to work for money before they even turn 16 is setting themselves up for success. There are 13- and 14-year-olds out there with huge babysitting empires and lawn-mowing services because they were willing to put in the work to build them. That, and there’s a good chance their parents helped set them up with their friends and their friends’ friends to get the business going. 

There’s nothing wrong with using your connections to build a clientele. Heck, it’s kind of the only way to do it in the modern age. There will always be kids who go door to door asking neighbors if they need help shoveling snow off their driveway, but they are getting fewer and farther between as time goes on. Kids are much more likely to ask online whether anyone in the community needs lawn care or babysitting services. Or rather, their parents are more likely to inquire about such opportunities on their behalf. 

It’s literally normal for your mom to help you get a job when you’re a teenager. Her friend might own a bakery, and that might be the reason you get hired over the other 100 teenagers who applied for the same position. She might get you an internship at her company, so that even if you’re not getting paid, you still have more professional work experience than the majority of kids who are applying to colleges. It might be more frowned upon for your parents to employ you when you reach adulthood, but it shouldn’t be. If you can work for the family business and have a good, fulfilling career, then more power to you!

Just because somebody helps you get a job does not mean that they’re entitled to any of your earnings. People help friends and family get jobs at their companies every day, and that doesn’t mean that they should get a commission for their service. The feeling of doing good should be enough.