Well, she’s not alone. Nearly 75

percent of high school juniors and between 80 and 90 percent of seniors work after school at paying jobs, according to the American Youth Policy Forum.

Teens work for many reasons. For some teens, especially those not planning to go to college, work offers them a chance to learn skills they’ll need when they enter the job market full-time.

Still, work is not a teen’s most important responsibility. As a parent, you need to set some limits. Here are suggestions:

• Set limits on how your teen uses the money he earns. In too many cases, experts say, teens use the money they earn to finance binge buying. Ask your teen to account for the money he spends. Encourage him to save a sizable amount.

• Set limits on how much your teen works. Between eight and ten hours a week is ideal. If your teen wants to work more hours, you still need to stay in control. Don’t allow school work and family life to suffer.

• Set limits on where your child works. For example, don’t allow your teen to work alone in a store after dark.

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