• My teen got a summer job at a local cafe close to where we live. • One day, when I dropped her off at work, the manager said they were understaffed and asked for help. • We've been working together since then, which has allowed us to see a different side of each other.

Like many moms, I had a short summer checklist for my teenage daughter: get off her phone, earn her own money, and learn what it's like to show up for someone other than herself.

So when she landed a job at a tiny, always-busy cafe in our neighborhood, I was pleased. One goal was met. Little did I know, a few weeks later, I'd end up clocking in with her.

I wasn't trying to get a job

It all started on a chaotic Saturday morning. I dropped my daughter off for her shift, still in my slippers, when the manager — panick

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