Parents of older children- a question on allowances?

Question

For those of you who gave your children an allowance, what sorts of conclusions have you drawn about the effects of it? For instance, if you gave your child allowance independent of their chores, has that had any effect on their work ethic? What have you learned about the best way to handle chores and allowances?

Answer 1

i dont agree with cutting off allowance until your child is out of school. I have a 6 yr old and a 15 year old. They both get weekly allowance.

My 15 yr old earns his and I never have to tell him what to do. If it needs done he will do it. If Im fixing dinner, both the kids come in and say " how can I help momma" I will give them something to do. Im pregnant, and my son tells me after dinner............ Go sit down and watch TV mom Ill clean up from dinner. He doesnt take no for an answer.

He is in a wheel chair right now folling an ankle surgery, Its easier for him to get around then the crutches are. I waited on him hand and foot since wednesday, and tonight he sat in his wheel chair doing dishes after dinner. So my son earns his 25-35 dollars a week and i NEVER ask him to help.

My 6 year old is one that loves to clean, she likes to watch me and help. Every Sunday she will beg me to let her clean the fridge. She takes everything out and washes EVERY spot. It looks just as good as when I do it. Ive always let her help me do it, but now she doesnt want my help lol

If they feel you appricate things they help you with they will help out without asking.

He wont let me give him lunch money because he says he can pay for it. He also has a job delivering newspapers early morning which I help him with.

Answer 2

I came up with a plan for my grandchildern's allowances.
At the time they were 9 & 10 years old, boy & girl respectively.
Every Monday they would get a roll of quarters each. $10.00.
I explained to them the house rules (they lived with me at the time) and what thier chores would be.
I also explained that out of the money they got, two dollars had to go immediately to a savings account thay they could not touch and at the end of the year they would have $104.00 on the account. I also explained that if they wanted to contrubute more they could, (not mandatory) if at the next payday they had any left over.
What's the clincher?
If they did not make the bed before school, they would have to give back a quarter. Leaving a light on in an empty room costs a quarter. (teach them to save energy)
For every daily chore they did not complete on the list (there wern't too many), another quarter paid back. For clothes left on the floor instead of in the dirty laundry, another quarter.
It worked better for my grandson than the granddaughter. He always had leftover.
They knew they could not spend any money until the week was up. Then whatever was left after paying back, was thiers no questions asked.
My daughter is back and has the kids. They were here for the weekend last week and my grandson remembered the routine and asked his mom if they could start that at home.
He likes to make money. And I now know that I really did teach him something. He is now 12 & his sister 13.
With older children you can do the same with more money as they get older.

Answer 3

I was given an allowance from the time I was 9 until I was 13. Please, after the age of 13 don't give you children allowance. As a senior in high school some parents are still giving their teens an allowance. After the age of 13 tell them to get some sort of job. I learned the ins and outs of money by getting an allowance. Make sure that you monitor the spending. Don't let them spend it all on one item. Have them save some of it for a big item later on. By giving them money and helping them with spending it they will learn how to spend and save money.

As far as chores go, give them a few thing to do each week. They should have to work for their money. Don't have all the chores be done on the weekend. Have them do a chore everyday during the week that way they learn that sometimes you get paid a few days after they do the work and not immediatly. Once they are old enough and have a decent amount of money, get them a debit card (no younger than 15). This will really teach them about money and banks.

It worked for me at 18 I'm far ahead my peers in the way of money.

Answer 4

I don't directly tie allowance to chores. By directly I mean that I don't give the kids a certain amount of money for cleaning the bathroom and another amount for emptying the dishwasher. Their allowance is for being part of the family and pitching in to keep the family going. If they do what I ask them without me having to remind them too many times then they get their money.

I don't tie it with working any more than that but a reminder that if they don't finish chores they won't get their money does push them when they don't want to do anything.

I give allowances mostly to teach my DD's about money management more than work. They've learned just a bit about how money is earned. But they've learned a whole lot more about how money is spent. They know it's a finite resource and that when their allowance is gone they don't get anymore from me. They've learned how to save when they want something that costs more than their weekly amount. They've learned to delay wants and apply the money to needs first.

That's what I wanted them to learn when I started with the allowances so I'm pretty happy with the lessons.

Answer 5

You assign daily chores on a five day a week basis. You say you will get x amount of money this week for these chores to be done on schedule. You do not want them letting them pile up till allowance day so you make it clear chores are preformed on schedule no earlier no later. If they fail to complete the assigned chore for a given day then 1/5 of their allowance is deducted. They learn really quick to do as agreed or that new Ipod or cell they are saving for will not get bought because they failed to meet the contract agreement. It is a lesson learned young that makes them know they have to work for what the get and they do appreciate what they have more because they had to pay for it.

No giving in to sad puppy dog eyes or deals or cash advances. After all does your boss let you get away with advances and such. If so I need that boss. LOL.

Try it what have you got to loose and if your having to do everything yourself already then nothing is changed except they DO NOT GET WITHOUT EARNING IT TO GET IT THEMSELVES! Lessons of life are hard but necessary. Also do not forget they will not die if you do not buy them what they want or give give give until you have nothing to give. They will however appreciate you later for teaching them properly.

No yelling, earn it or do without.

Answer 6

My 13 year old son and my 12 year old daughter never get an allowance. They have learned that money shouldn't be something you expect all the time. I only give them a little cash when they do something exceptionally good. They have also learned to be very responsible without necessarily having something always done for them in return.

Answer 7

I have a 15 year old son and I refuse to give him an allowance because he does not do what he is suppose to do.. He does not clean his room, throw the garbage out, do his homework the list goes on and on. So he will never get an allowance until he could do simple little things that he refuses to do.

Answer 8

Give them an allowance even after they're 13. It's really hard to get a job when you're 14. Most places don't hire 14-year-olds, and it would be hard for them to find time to work when they have homework to worry about.

Answer 9

allowances should be given if they do their chores and keep up the grades...i would stop it at the age of 15 at that time they are old enough to get a part-time job!

Answer 10

I don't know where I got this from, a magazine or tv show, but this person said to not give kids a regular allowance for things they are expected to do, like clean their room, etc. It was suggested that you pay them for things they normally wouldn't do. This is what we do with our daughter and it works fine.