"If I scratch Your Back, Will You Scratch Mine?"
From an early age we are taught that you don't get something for nothing!
What are we teaching our children about this very topic? Should chores be associated with allowances? Are we paying our children to clean up? If so, are we paying them what the standard minimum wage rate is? Hmmmmm... makes you wonder, huh?
Personally, I don't really agree with giving allowances. All my children's needs are being met by me and hubby, why do they need a set amount of money weekly? Maybe because it teaches them responsibility, how to manage their own money? True. But should the allowances be attached to them doing chores? In my opinion, no. Doing chores does teach a lesson of responsibility, however, it also teaches that we are a family and we work together to keep our home (our space) clean and tidy. This is largely in part due to the fact that the family unit looks nothing like it did years ago. You have single moms, single dads, married moms and dads, two moms, two dads, grandparents raising grandchildren, etc. Regardless of what your family looks like, it takes two incomes "and some" to survive in today's tough economic times. Therefore, you want to teach your children that being a member of a family means being there for another no matter what; assisting one another to get things done.
Allowance, on the other hand should be used to teach money management, responsibility and sensibility. Do not associate the two with one another. Although there are times when my 11 year old drags her feet about certain chores, I often say, "Okay... you know we work "together" in his house. I'm asking you to help me out, there will come a time when you will need my help with something, right?" I'm not threatening her at all, I just want her mind to think about that for a minute. I could be speaking on a number of things with that one statement/question. Believe it or not, it works! I mean, they will, after all, need us again for something.
It's true...the world does function on the premise of "if I do something for you, you need to do something for me". Isn't that why we go to work everyday? I'm not saying disguise reality for our children. What I am saying is this: there are so many lessons to be learned by our children from us. The meaning of family looks so much different today. Teach them that its normal to take care of your family by helping out around the house without being paid for it. I mean, one day we're all gonna be old and our children will choose our convalescent home for us. Will they choose the one that's cheaper so they can keep the change? Or will money not matter when it comes to family?
Happy Parenting!!!!
What are we teaching our children about this very topic? Should chores be associated with allowances? Are we paying our children to clean up? If so, are we paying them what the standard minimum wage rate is? Hmmmmm... makes you wonder, huh?
Personally, I don't really agree with giving allowances. All my children's needs are being met by me and hubby, why do they need a set amount of money weekly? Maybe because it teaches them responsibility, how to manage their own money? True. But should the allowances be attached to them doing chores? In my opinion, no. Doing chores does teach a lesson of responsibility, however, it also teaches that we are a family and we work together to keep our home (our space) clean and tidy. This is largely in part due to the fact that the family unit looks nothing like it did years ago. You have single moms, single dads, married moms and dads, two moms, two dads, grandparents raising grandchildren, etc. Regardless of what your family looks like, it takes two incomes "and some" to survive in today's tough economic times. Therefore, you want to teach your children that being a member of a family means being there for another no matter what; assisting one another to get things done.
Allowance, on the other hand should be used to teach money management, responsibility and sensibility. Do not associate the two with one another. Although there are times when my 11 year old drags her feet about certain chores, I often say, "Okay... you know we work "together" in his house. I'm asking you to help me out, there will come a time when you will need my help with something, right?" I'm not threatening her at all, I just want her mind to think about that for a minute. I could be speaking on a number of things with that one statement/question. Believe it or not, it works! I mean, they will, after all, need us again for something.
It's true...the world does function on the premise of "if I do something for you, you need to do something for me". Isn't that why we go to work everyday? I'm not saying disguise reality for our children. What I am saying is this: there are so many lessons to be learned by our children from us. The meaning of family looks so much different today. Teach them that its normal to take care of your family by helping out around the house without being paid for it. I mean, one day we're all gonna be old and our children will choose our convalescent home for us. Will they choose the one that's cheaper so they can keep the change? Or will money not matter when it comes to family?
Happy Parenting!!!!
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