Giving allowance?

[godsbutterfly]

My step-son is 12 and my step-daughter is 15. They get allowances. They have certain chores they are supposed to do and then extras get them a bonus. They have to do their regular chores without being reminded and without complaining. They are not allowed to make large purchases with their money without getting approval from us first. So far it has been working out well.

 

[getbent]

Do they get paid for their "supposed to do" work or only for the bonus work? My girls are soon to be 6 and 9. I think the biggest purchase at this point would be a new DS game or Wii game (thank goodness, lol)

 

[godsbutterfly]

Do they get paid for their "supposed to do" work or only for the bonus work? My girls are soon to be 6 and 9. I think the biggest purchase at this point would be a new DS game or Wii game (thank goodness, lol)

They have a set amount for their "supposed to do" chores and I subtract for not done or if there are complaints about doing it. We already have an understanding about tithing and they are on the honor system for that. That is between them and God. My step-son loves game-boy and he wanted to drop $70.00 on games and accessories at one time! We try to get them to spend it a little more gently than that and he had been - which is how he had saved up to that amount - so just that once we let him splurge. His sister is more into clothes and things like that.

 

[greyhound]

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 also ouir family philosophy. We give them money as needed as we see fit. If they need money to go to the movies and they haven't done their fair share...no money.

They have also gone out and gotten jobs. My youngest walks a neighborhood dog 4 days a week.

 

[poster]

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.

Exactly - I don't mind making a list of available chores for them to chose from.

 

[MDTerps]

I have a white board with Monday-Thursday with standard chores my son is to do on those days. Before he goes to be I check or ask if he has completed them. If not I take money off the $5.00 he gets every two weeks. For Friday, Saturday and Sunday I have a longer list of stuff he needs to do. I'll add different things to it depending on what needs to be done or I need help with, and the wheather. We do those chores according to what our weekend plan is. That's why it's listed under Friday/Saturday/Sunday.
When we go out shopping he has to use his own money to buy things he wants. I only buy for Christmas and Birthdays. I will either buy home something or give him money for good report cards, that's decision is up to him.

 

[CMC122]

I think giving an allowance is a great way for kids to learn some work ethics! Just like an adult, if you do a crappy job it show's in your pay. Don't work, don't get paid, go over the top doing your job, get a little bonus. And if you want something bad enough you'll work your butt off for it, save your money and have pride in your ownership that you did it on your own

 

[mrweb]

We had the must do things like making the bed and cleaning up their own room. Other things were the help around the house things that we considered basing the allowance on. We also used the chore chart with checking off the must, other, or extra things. The best payment we ever used was to issue poker chips with a set value...say each chip was a certain monetary value or time value. They could exchange them for money or for x amount of time on the computer or watching a favorite TV show or DVD outside of the entire family enjoying it together. Worked like a charm all the way up to about 14 or 15, then we had the teenaged girl middle school issues, that's when the real fun starts.

 

[D1VA]

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.

Getting a chore chart done tomorrow! Great idea!
My 4 and 5 year old think picking up the room is just that! They pick it up and throw it on the bed, just to throw it back on the floor at night!

 

[getbent]

Getting a chore chart done tomorrow! Great idea!
My 4 and 5 year old think picking up the room is just that! They pick it up and throw it on the bed, just to throw it back on the floor at night!

Mine have done that several times. I once went in their bedroom (they share one) and took the clothing out of my oldest daughters dresser because she threw her clothes in the drawers and in the incorrect drawers at that. She then had to re-fold and put everything away. My husband pulls the stuff from under the bed, dresser or closet after they "say" their done cleaning. Man they hate that

I like the idea of weekend chore list. Picking up dog poo is a good one for that.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Mine have done that several times. I once went in their bedroom (they share one) and took the clothing out of my oldest daughters dresser because she threw her clothes in the drawers and in the incorrect drawers at that. She then had to re-fold and put everything away. My husband pulls the stuff from under the bed, dresser or closet after they "say" their done cleaning. Man they hate that

I like the idea of weekend chore list. Picking up dog poo is a good one for that.

question...

how old is your daughter? who is to say that it is the "wrong" drawer? As long as she can find her clothing, can't she just put it away somewhere...as long as its away?

 

[Callie girl]

question...

how old is your daughter? who is to say that it is the "wrong" drawer? As long as she can find her clothing, can't she just put it away somewhere...as long as its away?

My 4 year old nows which drawers his clothes go in. :shrug:

But if he gets it mixed up every once in a while I will straighten them out. I like organization as much as possible.

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

My 4 year old nows which drawers his clothes go in. :shrug:

But if he gets it mixed up every once in a while I will straighten them out. I like organization as much as possible.

My point being...

it is his room..and his clothes.

if he is responsible enough to at least get them into the drawers (folded..not stuffed) then who are you to say which drawer they should be in? Shouldn't he be able to decide where to put his stuff? I HATED this as a kid...mom would even switch which drawer was which to her liking and i'd go for a pair of shorts and see tshirts and be like wth...so why not just let him put the stuff where he feels fit?

 

[Callie girl]

My point being...

it is his room..and his clothes.

if he is responsible enough to at least get them into the drawers (folded..not stuffed) then who are you to say which drawer they should be in? Shouldn't he be able to decide where to put his stuff? I HATED this as a kid...mom would even switch which drawer was which to her liking and i'd go for a pair of shorts and see tshirts and be like wth...so why not just let him put the stuff where he feels fit?

I don't know, never thought about it. He doesn't say anything. I put his clothes away and if he takes stuff out while he is trying his outfits on then he puts them back where they are supposed to be.

 

[getbent]

I like organization as well. She stuffs things in her drawers and if I let her put them where she wanted she'd put play things and school/good clothes together. Then there would be an argument when I tell her she can't wear something to school.

 

[poster]

I like organization as well. She stuffs things in her drawers and if I let her put them where she wanted she'd put play things and school/good clothes together. Then there would be an argument when I tell her she can't wear something to school.

I used to worry about this. I decided to leave her to put away her clothes and just go in and straighten occationally. She knows what she can and can't wear, now there's less stress over it. When you like organization it's hard to just let go and let them be, took me about a month before it didn't bother me anymore.