Living on the coast of Maine has its advantages. Beaches and islands are close. “Not that close,” my husband said when my daughter told us her high school English teacher had recommended her for a summer job. The opportunity was on a small island, a ferry ride away, and it would mean driving her into Portland from our house in the suburbs just outside, affecting our summer routine.
The ride is 30 minutes. With drop-off and pickup, that would take at least an hour. Traffic from local pedestrians and tourists is outrageous. Her new job would require a lot of effort from both of us, but it would also give her a chance to do something meaningful.
I thought she had a cooler first job than me
“She’d be working at a seafood place on an island off the coast of Maine,” I said to my husband. “What a cool first job and amazing experience.” I worked at a clothing store in the mall for my first job, where we had to upsell everything. If a person bought shorts, we pushed them to buy the matching shirt or headband. It was the 90s. Matching meant everything.
After my daughter interviewed with the manager, she got the job. Her text was enthusiastic and hopeful: “She offered me the job, and I really, really want to take it.” Negotiations began later that evening. We went back and forth as she pleaded her case. I wondered aloud if I would make it through an entire summer driving in and out of one of the busiest sections of Southern Maine, but her excitement fed my own.
My husband was less than enthusiastic, but I understood that she needed this job. I also knew I needed to let her accept it, even if it meant hours of vacationers crossing in front of us at the crosswalk. Even if I had to shift my schedule and rethink my summer priorities. I wanted this experience for my daughter.
We bought a ferry pass and planned the drive into Portland. She agreed to pay for half of her monthly pass from her paycheck. She would also have to go in early since I was driving her, which wasn’t ideal during the summer when I teach extended school year. The extra time spent on the island wouldn’t be too painful since she could wait out the time until her shift at the beach. The job required compromise, but it would be worth it.
Her first job was on the island we visited when she was little
For her training shift, which started right after school ended, we went to the island together. When the kids were little, we used to visit as a family once a year. We’d walk around the whole island and have lunch at a local inn. It felt good to return after so many years, and to see her beginning her own experience there.
While she was training, I grabbed some lunch. Watching her work was amazing. She picked things up quickly and did her job accurately and efficiently. On the way home, we enjoyed the ferry ride. I left feeling sure this would be something she’d always remember. In the weeks since, she’s been offered more hours and made some good friends.
It also gave me an excuse to take the family out to the island. I went with my two great-aunts to visit Kyle at work. We took her older sister, who is attending Arizona State. The youngest also came to our goodbye lunch. We rode out on the ferry and marveled at how beautiful my daughter’s commute was. Tourists and locals crowded onto the ferry, taking pictures to remember the moment. It is one my daughter gets to enjoy all summer long.
It wasn’t just a stunning morning and evening commute to work that made her job so cool, or the fun of introducing family to the island. The job also gave her her first work experience and her first paycheck. She managed to save up a good amount toward a car. It was great to watch her figure out what to keep in her checking account, what to spend each week, and what to save.
Seeing her make those choices showed me this job was teaching her more than how to earn a paycheck. She was learning about responsibility and gaining the confidence to make her own decisions. Her first cool job was also a chance for her to gain independence.
Next year, she hopes to return to her job on the island. While it will continue to require some effort from both of us, I know it will be worth it because this first job gave her more than experience. It gave her a first glimpse of adulthood — one of the many milestones that will help her through the arduous and uncertain journey ahead.
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