Aloha Friday - Allowance vs. Chores





Aloha Fridays are brought to you by Kailani from An Island Life. Over there in Hawaii, Aloha Friday is the day that they take it easy and look forward to the weekend. So Kailani thought that on Fridays she would take it easy on posting, too. So, for Aloha Friday, I’ll ask a simple question for you to answer. Answer my question and put one of your own up on your blog. Link up and check out other blogs that participate at An Island Life.


I want to know what everyone thinks about allowances. At what age do you think kids should start getting an allowance? Or do you think they should just earn money based on household chores and what not?


This is a huge topic of conversation over here because Oscar has been straight up telling me, make that ordering me, to buy him a new Pokemon book and game he saw at Best Buy. We keep telling him that he can wait for his birthday or Christmas. Today I gave him the option to earn money towards the game. I paid him $2 to clean up after his little brother, picking up the mass chaos of toys that the baby had strewn about the room. I made sure that he knew that this only applied to cleaning up after others, not himself. Still feeling this whole chores for cash vs. allowance thing out. He is only 6.5 years old so I'm a little caught off guard here, lol!

Comments

More Than Words said…
We don't give allowances because doing chores around the house should be things that they are responsible for. We don't have set chores, and they really don't have to do too much. But, if they do something that is totally out of the ordinary, then they will get something for it! LOL
Night Owl Mama said…
My oldest now 21 used to get allowance and he saved his money now that' he's older he can't stand saving and spends money like water. My daughter does her chores because she' part of this family so we don't give allowance. We thought we would try a different approach
Oh that's good....telling him it doesn't apply to picking up after himself. I'll have to remember that. My little one is just 2 so I don't have a clue yet. We really didnt' earn an allowance growing up....but I do think they need to learn about money somehow.

Here's my aloha friday question:
http://www.afrugalfriend.net/2010/03/aloha-friday-and-the-oscar-goes-to/

Have a great weekend!
Design It Chic said…
i think small chores around the house are good! and picking up toys is no hard business.. he just learns how to earn money instead of just receiving! I think you did good!
Happy Friday and here is my Aloha !!
Unknown said…
I didn't get allowance when I was a kid. So I never got to save up for something. Also, I always felt like I never really got to buy what I wanted to buy (and it's not like I wanted to go wild or anything, I just didn't want to wear what my mom bought for me). So when I got my first job, I went crazy and racked up a little debt. Not a good way to start your adult life.

So I think I want to give my girls allowance for doing chores. Yes I want them to have the attitude that they are doing it for family, but I also want them to know what it's like to earn money and save up for what they want so it's not a big deal when they're on their own. In other words, I'll try to do the opposite and see what happens.
Auntie E said…
I think they should earned the money. It put there mind in a service frame. Also they realize How one gets money. I do not think it should be chores, something that they can do to help the family;ie: raking, mowing, picking up trash in the yard, helping with cleaning out drawers and grocery shopping(sticking to a list).
annies home said…
household chores are a responsibility we dont pay but we do give $1 a week per year of age til about 13 then I balance it out to abou $20 a week and I pay 1/2 of all school needs
I am Harriet said…
That's a tough question. If they do get money they should be doing something as part of the family.

Have a great Friday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/03/are-you-happy-i-am-i-got-a-new-iphone/
Unknown said…
I don't know because I am having a tough time with this at home...my kids are 9 and 10 and they want me to give them money but any chore I ask them to do they refuse..including cleaning their own room !
Annie said…
Can you believe that I never think of that.
Need to do something soon.

Happy Friday!!
Upstatemamma said…
I have not read the answers others gave but I am usually the odd man out on how I feel about this. I do not think that they should get money for doing chores. They do chores because they are apart of the family and chores need to be done. I am struggling with what age to start an allowance. My son is five and we are thinking it is going to be soon.
Cascia Talbert said…
We never got allowances when I was growing up. And we don't give our children allowances either. If you can afford to do that then I believe that your kids should work for the money. You are doing the right thing making your son earn his Pokemon book.
Great topic!

I never got an allowance when I was a kid and I actually appreciated it...

My husband and I have been talking about it, but not too seriously since our child is only 2. We're thinking we're going to do a small allowance for EXTRA jobs that are not weekly household chores....enough to teach the value of earning, saving, spending responsibly and to reward her. We'll teach her that 'chores' should be done without pay though.

~melody~
Anonymous said…
There is a very cool site my wife and I have been using. Its call allowance manager and it let you really organize your child allowance. I like it because my daughter knows at anytime I take out my pda and either debit her or credit her. It frankly is amazing. Oh the site it www.allowancemanger.com thats a web address. Its free.
Anonymous said…
sorry that allowancemanager.com I can't type!
sheila said…
Good question! My kids are all teens now. We did the chore chart thing for a few years with an allowance. But it was not teaching them anything. So finally, we gave them fixed chores they do daily whether it's loading/unloading the dishwasher, feeding the dog, taking out the garbage...etc. And they do it because they are part of the family and that's what part of the family is expected to do. :) (and they don't complain about it much)