Welcome to the real world

So today I am going to rant about life in the 'real world'.


I'm going to rant about life in the 'real world' because my 14 year old niece has just messaged me on FB is that the real world? and asked; how many 14 year olds do I know that have a job????


Quite a lot actually.


Living in the SW, the kids down here fall into two categories: those that go on the Jeremy Kyle Show and those that work.  OK I will freely admit that that is a generalisation.  After all, statistically speaking how many people go on the JK show??


The ones that work, work really hard.  Be it 'pasty prison' (the pasty shops), waitressing, cleaning, delivering flyers, washing cars, whatever.  They start working young.  They have to, because they don't have parents that can afford to fund their mobile phones or social lives or iTunes downloads.


We all know that 'employment rules' state when and when not people under 16 years of age can work.  Does any one take notice of these rules?  I don't think so.


Most of the kids who work in the SW work in the hospitality industry which involves unsociable hours, long hours and evening hours.  They do it because they want the work.  The employers employ them because it's cheaper to pay someone under 18 to do the job.  And lets face it - why on earth would anyone pay the minimum wage to someone over 18, if someone under 16 can do the same job and be happy with a wage a lot lower????


It just makes me soooo mad that my gorgeous, lovely, intelligent niece, thinks that she is 'unusual' because she is the only 14 year old she knows who has a proper job (5 hours washing up at the local pub).  I think it's fabulous that she's got a job and I'm really proud of her.  But she's been brought up in a very cocooned middle class environment.........................


.....................and she still seems to have this notion that 14 year olds don't have jobs??!!


Middle class Britain and all that.......................................


Her £4 an hour, won't be going on her mobile phone bill because Mummy & Daddy will still pay that, it won't be going on pair of £40 shoes that she'll only wear once because Mummy & Daddy will  pay for those and it won't be going on any equipment that she needs for school  because Mummy & Daddy will pay for that.


I'm really, really, really, impressed that my 14 year old niece has managed to find herself a job.


Now all I need to do, is convince her that some 14 year olds actually have to work to fund things for their future - and not just go around saying, 'I'm only 14 but I've got a job!!!'