To Pay or Not to Pay - Allowances and Chores

by Michelle Vandepas | More from this Blogger

06 Apr 2007 08:25 AM

Giving an allowance to a three-year-old child for chores done around the home gets some people riled up. Not everyone agrees with my decision to fork over twenty-five cents for help with cleaning the litter box.

In fact, a while back there was a great blog post explaining the two schools of thought:

1. Pay for chores 2. No pay for chores

Some parents strongly believe chores should be completed as part of family life, with no reward - and I used to think that way as well.

Other parents use a combination approach where some chores are done as part of a daily routine and extra chores are paid for with an allowance.

I've started paying for chores, and here's my reasoning. (As a woman I retain my privilege to change my mind at any time.

Kay will learn early about saving.

1. Twenty percent of all her income goes straight into her piggy bank

2. Half of her piggy bank goes for short term spending - she can spend every week right now, the other half goes to long term spending. In time I may move that to a three tiered system where one third of her saving may go towards a car, college, or other teenage items. The main goal is for her to have lots of small success saving. If I can get her to save a dollar, we can go to the dollar store where she can buy something she chooses.

Kay will learn about chores.

1. Even though she's getting an allowance in return for chores, she's still required to do chores, a little bit every day - feed the dogs, make her bed, clean her room etc. By having chores each day she learns the value of hard work and also gets into a routine.

2. My hope is that doing chores at three will become so routine and ingrained in her that she won't have the same 'messy' syndrome that her moms has. (Yea that's me)

I'd love to hear about your experiences with allowances. Do you pay for chores? Have allowances at an early age?

 
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Learn more about Michelle Vandepas
MichelleVandepas`s avatar

In a previous life, Michelle was president of a medical manufacturing company, and then in private practice as a holistic business consultant.

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User Comments

Nola Redd (7081) 03 May 2007 10:19 AM

We are half-and-half. We have a few chores and things that we do as part of the family, just because we all have to do stuff, and a few chores we pay for. This way they get the best of both worlds.

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