Think about the classic lemonade stand. A 13-year-old buys lemons, sugar, and cups. They mix, pour, and smile at customers. If they charge 50 cents a cup and sell ten, they’re making $5 an hour—before costs. That’s below minimum wage if you count the prep time.
Pay boost for 21 & 22 year olds and younger workers – PAYadvice.UK
But no one calls the Department of Labor on a kid with a cardboard sign. Why? Because we romanticize it as “learning business skills.” And sure, they are learning—but they’re also learning that their effort is worth less than a barista’s. It’s a gentle lesson in economics, but it can sting.
What the Law Actually Says
Let’s get a little nerdy for a second. The Fair Labor Standards Act sets a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for most workers. But it exempts minors under 16 from many rules, especially for farm work or family businesses. 13-year-olds can work legally in very few places—like delivering newspapers or acting in movies.
For everything else—like babysitting or dog walking—there’s no official wage floor. That means a family could pay a 13-year-old $2 an hour and it’s perfectly legal. Is that right? Probably not. But it’s the reality until someone pushes for a “teen minimum wage.”
