Giving allowance?

[getbent]

My girls are 8 & 5 (soon to be 9 and 6). My oldest has asked me on several occasions about receiving an allowance. Usually my answer is " Why should I give you an allowance if I have to ask you several times to do the things that need to be done?" Anyways, based on your experience how should I go about the allowance thing? I'm sure my 5 yr old would gladly accept the money and I know if I start giving it to her sister, she will want some as well. Are there any chores that should be done regardless (with no allowance)? What do you think is an appropriate amount for each? My girls also LOVE to play on the computer so I know that if chores do not get done then this is my leverage. TIA for any advice you can offer.

 

[Dye Tied]

No allowance. Teach kids that helping out is a part of being a family and chores are expected of them, not something they get rewarded for that they should be doing anyway.

 

[vraiblonde]

We used to have a chore chart: a list of everything that needs to be done throughout the week, with a point value attached to it. Each point is worth x-amount of money. When you do a chore, you sign the sheet. At the end of the week, points are tallied and cash is dispersed.

It actually worked very well.

 

[Radiant1]

Each of my children have specific chores to do with no pay, as DT said it's part of being a family and is expected; however, I will pay them for doing extras.

 

[getbent]

I actually agree with both of you. I thought about making most chores a responsibility with no pay but if you did xtra stuff (picking up the dog poo or taking out the trash) something you would get paid to do. My mom-n-law has given the girls money for helping her out at her house a couple of times but i'm not paying the girls $5 to clean the kitchen floor. My floor is no bigger than my arm span, lol. I just thought the allowance would give a little motivation and I can stop complaining that I spend my entire day off scrubbing the house. Keep the ideas coming and thanks.

 

[Callie girl]

I actually agree with both of you. I thought about making most chores a responsibility with no pay but if you did xtra stuff (picking up the dog poo or taking out the trash) something you would get paid to do. My mom-n-law has given the girls money for helping her out at her house a couple of times but i'm not paying the girls $5 to clean the kitchen floor. My floor is no bigger than my arm span, lol. I just thought the allowance would give a little motivation and I can stop complaining that I spend my entire day off scrubbing the house. Keep the ideas coming and thanks.

I agree with giving allowance but they should have there other chores around the house that they don't get paid for. But it teaches you to work for what you get which is something some of the younger ones do not know about lately.

 

[getbent]

I agree with giving allowance but they should have there other chores around the house that they don't get paid for. But it teaches you to work for what you get which is something some of the younger ones do not know about lately.

I agree. I know one or two who get everything they want and don't do anything to earn/deserve it. They are spoiled to say the least. Mine are not spoiled (at least I don't think so) but usually they do get something (small) anytime we go to Target, Walmart, etc. Thought it would also be nice for them to have their own spending money. My daughter received a gift card to Michaels and was very cautious with what she got. She had me add everything up as she picked it out and even put a few things back so she would have money left for the next time. Amazing how when it's your money they don't pay attention to the costs but when it's their own money they have to spend, watch out!!!

 

[vbailey]

No allowance. Teach kids that helping out is a part of being a family and chores are expected of them, not something they get rewarded for that they should be doing anyway.

This is how we are raising my son. There are times when he gets paid for helping his Dad with major projects around the house, He then puts the money into a savings account ( that is how he bought his Wii and he is now saving for LapTop, that will take awhile for him) But when he mows the lawn or cleans up his room, it is also his job to help take care of our dog...he never gets paid for those things, that is family every day things. It's just part of being a family. My girls never got paid for things like washing dishes,or picking up the house, or cleaning their room. But if they had been very helpful then I would treat them, Like give them money to go to a movie with friends, which we do that with my son too. But I can tell you, the older they get the less helpful they want to be LOL!!!!

 

[smilin]

It's a tough call, but kids need to start early figuring money out. I started with allowances when mine were 9 & 7. The rule is: you get an allowance every week, don't bother me when you want to buy something. If you forget your money at home, too bad I'm not lending you any.
Everybody has to do their part around the house (chores), take care of our animals, not to mention school work.
I have found that not hooking the allowance to chores makes them work independently of getting money to help around the house. The kids have also started saving for special things ( games, Ipods etc.). If I need help I pay them extra to blow leaves, dig holes etc.
The amount I give them also depended on their maturity. One used to take all his allowance straight to the bubble gum machine, the other one always saved. Now they are both rationing their money so are approaching the same amount. Don't overdo the amount, or they won't ask to make extra by doing more work.

 

[itsbob]

We used to have a chore chart: a list of everything that needs to be done throughout the week, with a point value attached to it. Each point is worth x-amount of money. When you do a chore, you sign the sheet. At the end of the week, points are tallied and cash is dispersed.

It actually worked very well.

Agree!!

Gives them the concept of value tied to work..

You want a video game? You need to EARN the money, and you can do so by doing X, Y and Z.

I would never give a kid a set amount for an allowance just because they NEED money.. but set a price list and find out how much they REALLY need the money.

 

[itsbob]

No allowance. Teach kids that helping out is a part of being a family and chores are expected of them, not something they get rewarded for that they should be doing anyway.

yeah, but we can't put our kids in the stocks if they don't do their chores anymore..

 

[Callie girl]

I agree. I know one or two who get everything they want and don't do anything to earn/deserve it. They are spoiled to say the least. Mine are not spoiled (at least I don't think so) but usually they do get something (small) anytime we go to Target, Walmart, etc. Thought it would also be nice for them to have their own spending money. My daughter received a gift card to Michaels and was very cautious with what she got. She had me add everything up as she picked it out and even put a few things back so she would have money left for the next time. Amazing how when it's your money they don't pay attention to the costs but when it's their own money they have to spend, watch out!!!

I agree and the last line is funny because I remember my mom telling me the same thing. But now I am pretty responsible with my money. Hopefully it will work with my kids to.

 

[getbent]

I'm definitely not going to give the girls money just because. Maybe I'll come up with a list of daily and weekly things that need to be done and decide which ones get a paycheck and which ones don't. I want them to learn the value of a dollar and how to save for the things you really want. I was thinking for the chores that warrant an allowance: no chores done, no money paid. And for the responsibility ones: if they're not done they would loose certain privilages (computer time, tv, etc). What do you think?

 

[Radiant1]

I'm definitely not going to give the girls money just because. Maybe I'll come up with a list of daily and weekly things that need to be done and decide which ones get a paycheck and which ones don't. I want them to learn the value of a dollar and how to save for the things you really want. I was thinking for the chores that warrant an allowance: no chores done, no money paid. And for the responsibility ones: if they're not done they would loose certain privilages (computer time, tv, etc). What do you think?

That's what I do. I think it's fair.

 

[getbent]

Thanks for all your help guys. If you have any more good ideas, keep 'em coming. I guess I better get cracking on the list (chores/responsibilities).

 

[High EGT]

We also tried the allowance thing at first but as with others it didn't modify our kids behavior in the right direction. What I ended up doing was rewarding good grades by giving $10 for each A and $5 for each B. I would then allow 20percent to go into their pocket and the rest into a savings account. So far its has seemed to work.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

how exactly do you determine what is allowance worthy and what isn't? I didn't get an allowance as a kid so I'm not really sure what chores would fall under the "allowance" category (granted, I DID get paid at one point to mow the lawn, but that is because it was a push mower...so it was actually work but my parents basically stopped paying me for that at some point in time...)

 

[poster]

I'm definitely not going to give the girls money just because. Maybe I'll come up with a list of daily and weekly things that need to be done and decide which ones get a paycheck and which ones don't. I want them to learn the value of a dollar and how to save for the things you really want. I was thinking for the chores that warrant an allowance: no chores done, no money paid. And for the responsibility ones: if they're not done they would loose certain privilages (computer time, tv, etc). What do you think?

This sounds good, I may try myself.
Making the bed a must but do a load of laundry for me a dollar, don't do the musts then don't get paid.
Knowing my daughter the money list would be done and the must list wouldn't.

 

[getbent]

how exactly do you determine what is allowance worthy and what isn't? I didn't get an allowance as a kid so I'm not really sure what chores would fall under the "allowance" category (granted, I DID get paid at one point to mow the lawn, but that is because it was a push mower...so it was actually work but my parents basically stopped paying me for that at some point in time...)

I didn't get an allowance either. Both my parents worked and since I was the oldest I had to get my sis off the bus, start dinner, sweep the floors (every room was hardwood), do my own laundry and probably a few others. If these things weren't done by the weekend, you'd spend that day doing them and nothing else. Picking up the dog poop deserves money. Hell, I wish someone would pay me to do it, lol. Feeding the dog and giving him water, does not.

 

[getbent]

This sounds good, I may try myself.
Making the bed a must but do a load of laundry for me a dollar, don't do the musts then don't get paid.
Knowing my daughter the money list would be done and the must list wouldn't.

Amen! Do some laundry or dishes, I'll pay ya, lol. Making the bed, cleaning their room and putting away their laundry is a responsibility (no money). Fold my laundry & put it away? Well, who do I make the check out to?

I'm thinking anything that has to do with their room does not warrant an allowance. If they want money, dust the living room, clean the windows, bathroom etc.