Carnie’s Comments – Summer Jobs

Carnie’s Comments

How old were you when you got your first summer job?

I was lucky. My parents didn’t encourage me to get a job until I was finished high school and I did get a great summer job back in 1983.

It wasn’t easy, though. You had to know somebody who knew somebody. 

I also recall a number of my high school classmates who had parents with political connections seemed to get great summer jobs. I wasn’t in that category.

A good friend of mine got me connected with the playground program. I attended a play leadership seminar which included a first-aid course and that got me a job in a beautiful, neighbourhood park with a paddling pool.

I was the director and I had an assistant who would play games and make crafts with the children while I soaked up the sun and splashed around with the kids and their parents in the pool. 

They paid me for that!

I had that job for three summers in a row. It was the best.

And, you know, I’d do it again if it paid a little better!