Nathan made an interesting comment recently at the dinner table.

“I love Sunday evenings. Not because there’s school the next day but because I get two days off from work.”

Nathan works at In and Out Burgers. It’s a great first job for a teenager. The hours are pretty accommodating to his school schedule and he gets to work with other kids his age. And then there’s the paycheck…and, apparently, the days off.

But this first job has taught Nathan that there’s a difference between a job and a career. Making French fries is not something he wants to turn into a career. It’s not very stimulating to him and although he likes the money, he has come to realize that his $10.25/hour is not going to get him that Infiniti G35 he really wants…with the souped up sound system…and after-market tail lights.

His comment made me think about my “job”. It’s a hodge-podge of stuff so it’s hard to describe succinctly what I do. I teach personal finance to kids, I create curriculum, I ghost write a lot about kids and money, I teach summer math camps, I train teachers, I speak at conferences, I even did a stint recently as a spokesperson where I traveled around the country. And everything I do, I love. That’s because I looked to my strengths and interests and turned those into something more than simply a job, they became my career.

Sure, there are days that I don’t want to “work”. And there are times I really look forward to the weekend. But mostly I can’t wait to get started in the morning. That’s what I want for my kids. To have them find their passions and figure out a way to turn those into a career in a way where their days off aren’t anticipated with longing.

But to get there, they’re going to have to experience a few more jobs. And those experiences will teach them a lot. They already have. Through their paper routes and fast food work, they have a greater appreciation for the value of a dollar and the hard work that cleaning tables, mopping floors, and poly-bagging newspapers requires. They’ve learned that those who go above-and-beyond get rewarded far more often than those who don’t. They’ve learned that treating customers and clients well can result in comments to the manager or tips in paychecks. And they’ve learned that filling orders and throwing papers is not a career. It’s a job.

I await in heavy anticipation to the careers both boys choose. My hope is that they follow their passions so that the weekends are just the days that come after Friday.