Re: [Unschooling-dotcom] Giving kids "pocket money"
Debra Caruso
When my sons were younger they had to do chores without money because
they are part of the household.They still have chores to do that they
don't get paid for,for the same reason.We could never afford to give
allowance until the past year,due to me having my own homebased business
now.The boys mow the grass for no pay,clean up kitchen and do dishes and
clean rooms for no pay.If there are extra jobs though ,they may get pay
for that.It depends.My youngest wants to get paid for everything!I can
see him starting his own business at 15!!!LOLOL....deb
NumoAstro@... wrote:
they are part of the household.They still have chores to do that they
don't get paid for,for the same reason.We could never afford to give
allowance until the past year,due to me having my own homebased business
now.The boys mow the grass for no pay,clean up kitchen and do dishes and
clean rooms for no pay.If there are extra jobs though ,they may get pay
for that.It depends.My youngest wants to get paid for everything!I can
see him starting his own business at 15!!!LOLOL....deb
NumoAstro@... wrote:
>
> Hi all:
>
> Feedback would be great about this money stuff with kids... When did some of
> you start to give your kids money and did they have to do chores for that
> money? Were they expected to do chores anyway and then you gave them the
> money just because? Extra money for extra chores? What age did you start
> this? Did you talk to them about money at this age and how to save and
> spend? We haven't introduced Zak to pocket money yet so we are not sure when
> and if to do that.
>
> What has been your experience of this issue?
>
> Dawn F
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Buy Long Distance with your GROUP and SAVE!!!
> http://click.egroups.com/1/4123/14/_/448294/_/962032238/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
[email protected]
hi! we have done it 2 ways- first was weekly allowance they earned equal to
half their age: for example, 7 yo would get $3.50. the number of chores was
equal to their age-7 yo did 7 chores. some are weekly chores-clean out bunny
cages, put out recycle, etc. i paid them on a weekly basis and that $ could
be spent on what they wanted, within limits: no gum unless sugarfree, no
chewy candy, no war toys (yes, i am the world's meanest mom!) that was too
long for them to wait for their money-impulsive like mommy! also, the oldest
child was doing way less than the others, so there was always a fight to get
him to work-not worth it. now we do it differently: i asked them how many
chores they felt they could handle and figured out some age-appropriate jobs.
they get paid 10 cents a chore-yes some jobs are bigger than others, but i
could not get that complicated or my head would fall off! when they fill up a
little sign with 20 stars on it, they get paid $2. i got the sign at a
religious items store. yes, alfie kohn would be horrified (author of
"punished by rewards") but it works for us for now! some examples of jobs at
our house:
13 yob-
feed &water & exercise bunnies & chickens & duck a.m. and p.m., clean cages
weekly, clear table and sweep kitchen floor at night
8 yob-
feed & water &exercise guinea pig daily a.m. & p.m., clean cage twice a week,
take garbage & recycle to cans several times a day, to curb & back twice a
week---13 yob was fired from this job because he never brought the cans back
till whenever and we got a $50 ticket!!!!!!!!!!---- unload dishwasher 2 to 3
times a day, watch baby while mommy showers,clean living room of toys 3
evenings a week, and toy rooms the other 3 nights, strap baby into car seat-i
know, sounds dangerous, but she is 20 months old now and car door is shut!
notice how much more he does than his older brother!
5 yob-
brush teeth twice a day, buckle self into booster seat-he is still only 39
pounds!, amuse baby in car--she hates the car seat!, set the table for
dinner, clean the toy room and living room three nights a week each.
HTH,
Bridget-whose house is still messy even with all this help!
half their age: for example, 7 yo would get $3.50. the number of chores was
equal to their age-7 yo did 7 chores. some are weekly chores-clean out bunny
cages, put out recycle, etc. i paid them on a weekly basis and that $ could
be spent on what they wanted, within limits: no gum unless sugarfree, no
chewy candy, no war toys (yes, i am the world's meanest mom!) that was too
long for them to wait for their money-impulsive like mommy! also, the oldest
child was doing way less than the others, so there was always a fight to get
him to work-not worth it. now we do it differently: i asked them how many
chores they felt they could handle and figured out some age-appropriate jobs.
they get paid 10 cents a chore-yes some jobs are bigger than others, but i
could not get that complicated or my head would fall off! when they fill up a
little sign with 20 stars on it, they get paid $2. i got the sign at a
religious items store. yes, alfie kohn would be horrified (author of
"punished by rewards") but it works for us for now! some examples of jobs at
our house:
13 yob-
feed &water & exercise bunnies & chickens & duck a.m. and p.m., clean cages
weekly, clear table and sweep kitchen floor at night
8 yob-
feed & water &exercise guinea pig daily a.m. & p.m., clean cage twice a week,
take garbage & recycle to cans several times a day, to curb & back twice a
week---13 yob was fired from this job because he never brought the cans back
till whenever and we got a $50 ticket!!!!!!!!!!---- unload dishwasher 2 to 3
times a day, watch baby while mommy showers,clean living room of toys 3
evenings a week, and toy rooms the other 3 nights, strap baby into car seat-i
know, sounds dangerous, but she is 20 months old now and car door is shut!
notice how much more he does than his older brother!
5 yob-
brush teeth twice a day, buckle self into booster seat-he is still only 39
pounds!, amuse baby in car--she hates the car seat!, set the table for
dinner, clean the toy room and living room three nights a week each.
HTH,
Bridget-whose house is still messy even with all this help!
Debra Caruso
MIne too Bridget don't feel bad!Deb
bctswim@... wrote:
bctswim@... wrote:
>
> hi! we have done it 2 ways- first was weekly allowance they earned equal to
> half their age: for example, 7 yo would get $3.50. the number of chores was
> equal to their age-7 yo did 7 chores. some are weekly chores-clean out bunny
> cages, put out recycle, etc. i paid them on a weekly basis and that $ could
> be spent on what they wanted, within limits: no gum unless sugarfree, no
> chewy candy, no war toys (yes, i am the world's meanest mom!) that was too
> long for them to wait for their money-impulsive like mommy! also, the oldest
> child was doing way less than the others, so there was always a fight to get
> him to work-not worth it. now we do it differently: i asked them how many
> chores they felt they could handle and figured out some age-appropriate jobs.
> they get paid 10 cents a chore-yes some jobs are bigger than others, but i
> could not get that complicated or my head would fall off! when they fill up a
> little sign with 20 stars on it, they get paid $2. i got the sign at a
> religious items store. yes, alfie kohn would be horrified (author of
> "punished by rewards") but it works for us for now! some examples of jobs at
> our house:
> 13 yob-
> feed &water & exercise bunnies & chickens & duck a.m. and p.m., clean cages
> weekly, clear table and sweep kitchen floor at night
>
> 8 yob-
> feed & water &exercise guinea pig daily a.m. & p.m., clean cage twice a week,
> take garbage & recycle to cans several times a day, to curb & back twice a
> week---13 yob was fired from this job because he never brought the cans back
> till whenever and we got a $50 ticket!!!!!!!!!!---- unload dishwasher 2 to 3
> times a day, watch baby while mommy showers,clean living room of toys 3
> evenings a week, and toy rooms the other 3 nights, strap baby into car seat-i
> know, sounds dangerous, but she is 20 months old now and car door is shut!
> notice how much more he does than his older brother!
>
> 5 yob-
> brush teeth twice a day, buckle self into booster seat-he is still only 39
> pounds!, amuse baby in car--she hates the car seat!, set the table for
> dinner, clean the toy room and living room three nights a week each.
>
> HTH,
> Bridget-whose house is still messy even with all this help!
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Was the salesman clueless? Productopia has the answers.
> http://click.egroups.com/1/4633/14/_/448294/_/962045385/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message boards, timely articles, a free newsletter and more!
> Check it all out at: http://www.unschooling.com
>
> To Unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected]
D Klement
NumoAstro@... wrote:
wanted jobs to do too so we gave them some paying jobs too. We made the
wages age appropriate. 50 cents a day for daily jobs and if you did all
your jobs every day without being nagged then you got double allowance
at the end of the week.
Nathan put over $200 away in a year .
We've gotten away from that style of payment but I think it'll be
revised and we'll be using that method again shortly (they're all a lot
older and can handle different more complex responsibilities now so they
should be paid accordingly).
They all either help or do their own laundry. The oldest (14 ) is
responsible for the supper dishes and puts out the recylables to the
curb once a week.She is responsible for our puppy in the evenings.
The 10 yob gets to take the trash out once a week. He helps with puppy
and is the official pooper scooper.
The youngest 8 1/2 yog just likes to help so she helps with little
things like folding tea towels and dish cloths etc. She is always asking
to help in the kitchen with baking etc ... not just licking the spoons
;-)
We pay for a job when it is completed satisfactorily they are told
what's expected and have it demonstrated a couple of times (like
cleaning a bathroom or washing a floor) and if you don't do it right the
first time then you have to go back and do it right to be paid.
Some people think that's harsh. We don't force them to do this. They are
expected to do their regular chores. We'll buy them an ice cream ,toy,
kit or a soda when we're out shopping etc, so it's not a case of them
having to earn to buy that kind of thing for themselves.
They do have to earn though to buy those pokemon cards that I refuse to
buy or get clothes that I figure they don't need or are frivolous. They
can earn and spend their own cash on that kind of thing. There is always
a closet that needs cleaning out or weeds to be pulled or canning that I
could use help with etc.
There are plenty of opportunities to earn hard cash around here!
Buzz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Klement Family "Education is what survives when
Darryl, Debbie, what has been learned has been
Kathleen, Nathan & forgotten"
Samantha B.F. Skinner in "New Scientist".
e-mail- klement@...
Canadian homeschool page: http:\\www.flora.org/homeschool-ca/
Ont. Federation of Teaching Parents: http:\\www.flora.org/oftp/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>My kids started earning extra when they each turned 8. The youngest two
> Hi all:
>
> Feedback would be great about this money stuff with kids... When did some of
> you start to give your kids money and did they have to do chores for that
> money? Were they expected to do chores anyway and then you gave them the
> money just because? Extra money for extra chores? What age did you start
> this? Did you talk to them about money at this age and how to save and
> spend? We haven't introduced Zak to pocket money yet so we are not sure when
> and if to do that.
>
> What has been your experience of this issue?
>
> Dawn F
>
wanted jobs to do too so we gave them some paying jobs too. We made the
wages age appropriate. 50 cents a day for daily jobs and if you did all
your jobs every day without being nagged then you got double allowance
at the end of the week.
Nathan put over $200 away in a year .
We've gotten away from that style of payment but I think it'll be
revised and we'll be using that method again shortly (they're all a lot
older and can handle different more complex responsibilities now so they
should be paid accordingly).
They all either help or do their own laundry. The oldest (14 ) is
responsible for the supper dishes and puts out the recylables to the
curb once a week.She is responsible for our puppy in the evenings.
The 10 yob gets to take the trash out once a week. He helps with puppy
and is the official pooper scooper.
The youngest 8 1/2 yog just likes to help so she helps with little
things like folding tea towels and dish cloths etc. She is always asking
to help in the kitchen with baking etc ... not just licking the spoons
;-)
We pay for a job when it is completed satisfactorily they are told
what's expected and have it demonstrated a couple of times (like
cleaning a bathroom or washing a floor) and if you don't do it right the
first time then you have to go back and do it right to be paid.
Some people think that's harsh. We don't force them to do this. They are
expected to do their regular chores. We'll buy them an ice cream ,toy,
kit or a soda when we're out shopping etc, so it's not a case of them
having to earn to buy that kind of thing for themselves.
They do have to earn though to buy those pokemon cards that I refuse to
buy or get clothes that I figure they don't need or are frivolous. They
can earn and spend their own cash on that kind of thing. There is always
a closet that needs cleaning out or weeds to be pulled or canning that I
could use help with etc.
There are plenty of opportunities to earn hard cash around here!
Buzz
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Klement Family "Education is what survives when
Darryl, Debbie, what has been learned has been
Kathleen, Nathan & forgotten"
Samantha B.F. Skinner in "New Scientist".
e-mail- klement@...
Canadian homeschool page: http:\\www.flora.org/homeschool-ca/
Ont. Federation of Teaching Parents: http:\\www.flora.org/oftp/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~