I need some options.
The military is not an option, as the kid I’m thinking about has a pacifistic nature but an extraordinarily stubborn way of presenting himself sometimes. I don’t think getting beat up regularly is a good idea.
Maybe this world has a place for everyone, and maybe it does not. I’m not sure about that. But if college as a means to gain some maturity away from home does not pan out, what other options exist? I don’t think I can simply say “off you go…” without some sort of starter plan.
I’ve worked for a Camphill community as gardener for 14 years, and many young people came through, who had an interest in community life, and a sense of adventure. Often it was a kind of gap year experience, after school and before any further education or training. Some liked it so much they joined the internal Camphill training program. Some even became gardeners. often they learned all kinds of craft skills, apart from people skills.
Or joining an organic farming community, but that may need some farming or gardening skills.
Be prepared to work for no money, or just pocket money, plus food and lodging.
hans is right, it’s a great option. he’ll get to see another side of life. just be careful he doesn’t become a social worker. That’s everything that happened to me.
He could be a live-in nanny or a live-in caregiver for a year. Have you considered sending him to relatives and letting him live in their garage apartment while he works entry level employment where they live? What about just getting a garage apartment in the city you live? I bet you’re not the only person who may have someone on their last nerve. He might enjoy the peace and quiet too.
I have friends who live in a college town and one of their sons got a job at the college and moved into an apartment. A college town has the services and opportunities that a young person would want.
Internships in the digging sciences, paleontology, archaeology, ethno-ornithology being the most important one of course. As an example Ashfall in Nebraska often has internships. The SCA(Student Conservation Association) and I don’t mean Society for Creative Anachronism, Americorp, probably not Peace Corp as they typically need definite skill sets. Museums all around the country and maybe close to home including the Smithsonian as an example.
Right. As I.D. said, just before his post disappeared, PC requires a degree. That may not be an option in the near future. Of course I may be wrong, and he’ll pull the semester out of a tailspin, but it’s pretty iffy, and academic suspension follows.
I like the Camphill idea. This is not a bad kid, just maybe slightly on the Aspie spectrum in terms of social awareness, and a bit stubborn-headed.
Yes Mutie, I am thinking of offering him to his uncle, who does electrical and other work, as an indentured servant.
I don’t know anyone with a cheap to free apartment, and around here nothing’s cheap.
Emm - you know my youngest has similar “quirks” as yours. He knew that college wasn’t an option right now.
He filtered through several jobs at the local all year farmer’s market. That got him introduced to one of the premier chefs in the area, who took a chance and hired him to do all the prep work. 12 hour days, 6 days a week, lasted about 6 months before he burned out. But he now knows he likes cooking, just not certain parts of it.
He’s currently working for a small (as in an owner and two employees) company making gelato. He loves it. When he needs to let his mind wander, he can do the “normal” flavors, but when he needs to be creative, he can try to come up with something different (his latest was baklava - honey based gelato with baklava pieces in it).
He’s living on his own. His paternal great grandfather was a Mason, and there’s a lodge near us in a very old building that has several apartments. He’s renting a huge place for really cheap - they just want someone on the premises at night. He’s lived in two other apartments - I’ve yet to see them, which is probably a good thing.
He does say he may go to college one day, but he knows he absolutely needs to be “invested” in anything he does. He checked out Americorp, but at the time they didn’t have an opening that fit what he could offer. He also looked at doing other citizen action work, but it took too much face to face interaction.
How about national parks or some of the larger (aka Disney) amusement parks? They have summer “interns” and offer housing.
Good luck. It’s tough when you have one that knows EXACTLY what they want to do, and another who has no clue.
Thanks Missy…
Well, second semester is only at midterm, but the news is not good so far.
Funny, mine likes to cook too, and can get inventive at times. In the dorm, he concocted Avocado ice cream.
Disney’s a thought. Camphill sounds great. At this point I’m still in the back-up plan stage, and the truth is I want as little to do with it as possible. I’m only fortifying myself for if he doesn’t take his own ball and run with it. He’s an interesting, good-hearted guy, and we get along pretty well as long as I don’t have to “parent” him particularly, because I’m just done with that.
One possiblity is commercial fishing, though its not for everyone.
Lots of work, usually not great money. The bunk is free.
Being able to cook is a big plus.
Its not a bad way to spend a couple of years as a young man. Got knots?
Sorry to say, he’s a hard-headed vegetarian.
I.D., what do you mean? Are you saying that you don’t feel young people necessarily need to move out on their own?
If so, I don’t disagree with that per se. My daughter (#2 of 4 kids,) is out of college and living here while she works out what to pursue in grad school. But she is responsible, helpful, finds work, has a social life, and is, in fact, a grown-up. And not that I’d kick her younger brother out either…but…in his case any experiences that add to his experience and maturity are positives. So, we’ll have to wait and see what kind of initiative he shows.
See, this is a perfect example of when time travel would come in handy. Send him to college in the 70’s. No one studied back then, most everyone got some kind of degree. Could he hold up to all the partying? That’s where I think modern kids are lacking. And there would be no Red Bull. Just coffee. And no Starbucks either.
The National Park Service has many jobs (some seasonal and some more permanent) in parks all over the country. Many of the jobs are in food service, room cleaning, etc., but there are outdoor jobs in grounds maintenance including trail maintenance. I haven’t checked this in a long time, but I think that many of the young workers are housed in dormitories in the parks where they are working. Dude ranches are another possibility.
