allowence or get a job?

Question

my son constantly asks for an allowence. he does very well in doing chores in the house he does pull his share of the chore's. but to me i believe that he should get a job. it will teach him resposibility and prepare him for the real world. balancing a budget etc...

but now i'm thinking that maybe he should be paid an allowence. he is of legal working age from where i'm from. i do need to sign for him to work and there is i think a 3 hour a day maximum work schedule to follow.

i dont know. what are your thought's.
oh ps he's 14

thank's

Answer 1

He cant legally work at 14 and plus you shouldnt force a school age kid to work. He should be worried about his grades and rewarding himself for good grades. I say allowence have him do alot of hard chores around the house. He can mow a lawn by now and pull all those weeds outside!I think making a 14 year old go to work AND worry abt school is a little harsh. Let him get good grades and continue be a kid for at least another year or two.

Answer 2

If he is working at chores at home, try the allowance with the stipulation that he budgets himself. Be sure you designate what the allowance is for - make a list of chores and what they earn him. For instance, my daughter mows the lawn for $10 twice a month. I have a service come out on alternate weeks who do the trimming, etc. so it works out for everyone involved. Regular household chores done without being told earn her another $5 (dishes, taking care of animals, helping with laundry, etc).

A job may impact his school performance. 3 hrs a day is a lot after a full day of school and homework. Perhaps the weekend work might be a better idea if you really want him to earn his way.

Sorry - I just reread your question. If he is only 14, you should definitely do the allowance thing. He is too young for a job due to the impact on his school work (and the law). He could maybe earn a little extra cash by mowing neighbor's lawns or washing cars on the weekend, though.

Answer 3

Kids are only kids for so long. Shouldn't they enjoy their young lives before the stresses of adulthood kick in? I would give him an allowance. I'm not a believer in allowance at all (my parents never gave me one) but I don't believe that a child should be working either.

Your son's job should be school and getting an education. That is what is important for him right now. And besides what kind of job could he get anyway? Pushing carts around maybe--why make him do that?

If you're worried about him learning money skills, let him help you when you are paying bills. Explain to him the concepts of mortgages, credit cards, etc. But do remember, he's still a kid. I rememebr helping my parents out with the bill paying and stuff (lots easier now with the internet! hehe) and learned a lot.

Sorry this was kinda long. But I hope it helped. Have a great day!

Answer 4

I think if he is doing a good job helping out around the house, he should be paid for it. You are right in thinking that getting a job will teach him some responsibility, but that is for someone a little more grown up to deal with. Give him a couple of years for allowance, and then encourage him to get a job.

Answer 5

I think getting a job for a kid is a wonderful way to teach them time management. They will have to learn to manage their time between school, chores, homework, and their job. They will also learn responsibility and (hopefully with a little help from you) responsible spending. My mom let me get a job when I was 15 but she still gave me an allowance for completing my chores (which was really just enough to cover lunch).

Answer 6

If he were my son, I would sit down with him and go over a list of chores he can do for his allowance. Give him some allowance for keeping his room tidy, picking up after himself, and give him extra when he does extra nice things for you that you had not expected him to do. Get him a bank account so he can see his money can be saved. Give him some type of reward for some of his money, a trip, an article of clothing, etc. After he establishes he is trustworthy to do his tasks at home, then send him out into the world (neighborhood) and help him learn how to mow a yard properly, or whatever task he takes on. It is important for him to do the task to the best of his ability. Show him that mom and dad work for a living, bring home their paychecks to support the family's needs and that he will need to do that on his own too. Your task as a parent is to prepare him for the real world so that he can function on his own. Teen years can be pretty rough, its like kicking the bird out of the nest to learn to fly, they dont do it with one push.

Expect him to make mistakes, let him see humans are not perfect. And, when he makes mistakes, just tell him to brush himself off, and pick himself up by his bookstraps and continue on the road of life.

Answer 7

My kids used to do extra chores when they wanted extra money, but they received a small allowance for their regular chores. They started employment at 15, but transportation was a real problem when they couldn't drive, especially the twins going in opposite directions.

Answer 8

Both.... Allowance for work around the house and get a job to teach responsibility and how the job market works

Answer 9

If he is doing work around the house an allowance is reasonable. As far as getting a job, that depends on the job and how that will effect his school work.

Answer 10

I think an allowance can be great tool in teaching your child how to budget and balance a book. Visa has prepaid cards that you can "recharge" every week, and then monitor on line where he is spending it. This way he can also familiarize himself with how to manage an account on line, and how not to go over his spending limit. Allowance tells your child that he is an important part of the running of your family and household, it gives them confidence, and encourages them to be a more valued member of the family, and in the long run, of society.