I want to know how you determine what chores your child does and what type of allowance they get for doing them. If they get one.
I never got an allowance as a kid, but I never needed that much. I got a Happy Meal each Friday that was payday and every now and again we got little treats. Nothing like what these kids get nowadays. But I was content. I didn't feel slighted. I had my Teen Beat when I wanted it. :)
See Gracie got a Nintendo DS for Christmas. Santa brought her one game, because those things are frickin' expensive!! Gracie was telling me how she wanted a Littlest Pet Shop game...so I agreed BUT I told her she'd have to pay for it. She already has $8.28. We are aiming for $20 + tax which would be $21.20. So we've got $12.92 left to go. I know most DS games are more, but our Game Stop is pretty good with having a large selection of pre-owned games. *crossing fingers they have them when we eventually go*
Gracie said she's willing to work for it. I've explained that the games aren't something she can just ask for and get, that daddy works hard for our money and we can't spend it all on toys. She says she understands and wants to do it herself. Then she waivers a bit and says I'll never get twelve dollars. LOL We'll see how this goes.
Advice people. Please!!?
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My children are 20-somethings, but here's my take on this issue.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone in the family should do some chores just to help out. No pay.
As children get older they may elect to request extra jobs for some small reward. It could a regular daily or weekly chore or maybe a seasonal one. (As a child I pulled grass along our fence line as an extra small paid chore.) This method allows children to take on extra responsibility, complete a job in a reasonably well-done fashion, get paid for it, and thus have some money to "manage". Money management is a skill that requires practice - so I think we should allow children to practice this early. It develops patience, planning, and responsibility when you manage money you have earned by your own work.
Good luck!
Nancy
We do an allowance for our kids, Ben (6) and Emily (4 1/2). I've always believed that children should already be responsible for pitching in and helping with chores. However, we've decided to do an allowance because 1) it's a great motivation so things get done without a fight and 2) because they can save up their own money and buy the things they want. Our kids get $3/week. This pay is for keeping their rooms and their playroom clean and for helping us out when we ask without a fight. Ben has a DS and loves to play the Wii also. He is always wanting new games but we can't really afford to buy all of them for him. He saves up his birthday, Christmas and allowance money and is able to buy them himself. If it's a game that the whole family would enjoy, we only make him pay for half. Emily is very attached to me and I'm going to visit my sister next month in California. I gave her the choice of staying home with daddy or going with me, but she would have to pay for half of her plane ticket. That way if she didn't want to spend her money, she couldn't complain and cry and give daddy a hard time while mommy is gone. Our way of things might not be right for everyone, but it works for us.
ReplyDeleteAs for you hoping that game is still there by the time the money is saved up, maybe you could go buy it and hold on to it until she has the money to buy it. That way you know it'll still be available. Just a thought. :)
Christine
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ReplyDeleteHey, WVa Mama! A great topic, actually. We just started doing this in our house last year when the older one turned 4. A dollar per year, so she gets $5 a week since she is now 5 years old. That's our amount in our house. But we are strict about if she earns it.
ReplyDelete1. She has to hand her jacket to me when she gets home to have it hung up & not drop & run.
2. She has to behave all week at school. No yelling or hitting or anything like that. That was only an issue one time.
3. When we tell her, "It's time to clean your room", she has to do so and with no arguing.
4. She helps me sort the dirty laundry into different piles (sheets, towels, underwear & socks in one, blacks jeans in another, pinks in another (2 girls and a mommy, we have a pinks & reds load), lights in another)
5. She sorts the socks after wards
6. She folds at least a little of her laundry
7. She puts away her folded laundry in her drawers
8. She helps me when I ask for it (I try not to ask for it too often)
9. She sometimes helps me cook (simple stuff)
10. She has to take her naps
11. Of course, the showers, brushing hair and teeth thing is a must
She also does other things but I don't expect them, she just does them. I hope this helps you a bit!