Do your children get paid to do their chores?
Do they get paid if they do extra jobs, other than normal chores?
How much money does the average school-aged child get every week?
All these questions and more prompted me to do an informal poll about allowances on one Facebook. The results left me feeling like a kite stuck in the proverbial money tree.
Fifty percent of respondents answered yes, my children do get an allowance. All of them listed specific requirements for getting this allotted allowance. Some children had to do their all of their chores, do them correctly and in a timely fashion. Others had to always do their chores plus extra jobs such as pooper- scooping the back yard, feeding chickens and gathering eggs. Younger children received $2 to $4 a week. Older children, if they made their siblings beds, received $5 to $8 a week.
Most of the respondents that answered no, did not give a reason why their kids don’t get an allowance. My 8 year-old son does not receive an allowance at this time. He is expected to do what is asked of him without asking when or why. He is an only child, so he tends to get more toys for things he excels at. My husband’s perspective on allowances is stricter than most. He feels our son doesn’t need an allowance unless he goes above and beyond his normal chores. When he starts helping more with yard work, snow shoveling and even pooper-scooping, then we will talk about an allowance. Until then, we are content to carry on as usual. Our son doesn’t get paid to do the chores he is expected to do routinely.
My parents always told me “Money doesn’t grow on trees!” Are your children pruning that money tree or even stripping it clean? I would love your feedback!
