What Is a Job?
Work you do for someone, in return for something — often money.
What is a job?
A job is work you do for someone in return for something, often money. People do many different jobs, because a community needs many different skills and services to function.
All kinds of jobs
Work and payment
That $10 is money coming in — which means it's income.
Not all useful work is paid
Being paid doesn't decide whether work is worthwhile. People also volunteer, help family, contribute to their community, and take on household responsibilities — none of it paid, all of it useful.
Pocket money and jobs
Regular pocket money and earning extra money for a job aren't quite the same thing. One real family treats a few regular household jobs as just part of contributing, and pays separately for bigger, optional jobs — that's one way to do it, not the only correct system. See the full approach →
Name three jobs
For each one, think about: what does that person actually do? Who might pay them? And why would someone be willing to pay for that work?
Jobs can be full-time, part-time, temporary, self-employed or casual. As people get older, ideas like skills, qualifications and experience start to matter more for the kind of work they can do — this lesson isn't about salaries, just about understanding that work takes many different forms.
Talk with your child about the jobs people do in your community. Try asking:
Where to next
Now that you know what a job is, the next question is what it actually means to earn money.