Ginger3710

Gee, some of you are generous, in our house putting out the garbage, helping with the dishes, keeping room tidy, clearing the table, bringing in the washing are all part of everyday household chores for the whole family. We don't pay the kids pocket money but occasionally give them one amount of money, say $10 for doing a few larger jobs like washing the cars, vacuuming the house, mowing the lawn etc. We tried giving them smaller amounts for individual jobs, but then found that every time we asked them to do something, they wanted money for it, and not 50c or $1, they'd ask for $5 etc. So we stopped doing that. Funnily enough, they now willingly do more as part of the weekly chores without getting paid for it. Our boys are 13, 10 & 5.

travelbug

My daughter is nearly 6 - and whilst she doesnt get pocket money as such yet, if we're nearing a holiday or an outing of somekind - she knows that she can "earn" some spending money by doing little jobs for a couple of weeks beforehand. I give her a tin with a label saying "holiday money" and whatever she earns for helping tidying her room, being good etc goes in.
We decided to do this after she had a tantrum at the shops once because i refused to buy her something saying i didnt have any money, and she'd screamed at me to "just get some money out of the cash machine"...
I think it's wise to teach kids to save / and to understand the value of money as soon as possible....although my daughter bless her still thinks that her money-box bursting full of 2p's and 5p's mean's she's rich!

shirlw

My 3 boys are 13,11 and 5 and funnily enough they do the same thing so pocket money is now off the menu for the time being............is it a boy thing ? Still in South Africa but pocket money was 10 rand per years of age ie.13=R130.

LouiseR

When I was younger me and my two brothers had a "room" to clean, mine was the bathroom (smallest room because I was the youngest!) and my brothers had to do either the living room or kitchen. This was as well as tidying our own rooms and helping with the washing. For this we got £10 a week. My dad was quite strict (Army Sargeant Major...) and would inspect each room etc if it wasn't done we wouldn't get paid.

It taught me some valuable experience. If you want money you have to earn it and if you don't do a good enough job you don't get paid (this happened sometimes too!)

Oh and when I was getting £10 a week I was 11 or 12.

fraser

We have a behaviour chart. The kids get $5 a week (they're 7&5) if they're really naughty they get a sad face and lose a $ (they get multiple warnings first)if they get 3 they get zilch. A days good behaviour gets a sad face removed.

And no it hasn't really improved their behaviour the stubborn little gits

Watt Dabney

our 10 & 13yr olds get $10 each for keeping rooms tidy, and other regular chores. They have to save $5 of it and can spend $5.

rebnatoli

My 8 and 10 yr olds get $5 each a week - with deductions for very bad behaviour and not keeping their rooms tidy. They can earn extras for some jobs and yes my son has sometimes said (on beng asked to do a small task) "I'll do it for a $" - I just ignore that - get him to do it anyway. They have both been good at saving up for larger items and now have bank accounts so will be putting 1/2 away for longer term savings and 1/2 into a current account - they have a card that can be used in cash machines which they love.

I love pocket money it really makes children appreciate the value of things - my two love comics/magazines - the ones with a cheap toy and no content - but after getting them to buy them with their pocket money they soon realised it wasn't good value for money without me having to moan or nag.

Weird Fish

Pocket money is one of those very individual things as each family runs differently and has different expectations of their kids. I am just about to start pocket money again now that the kids are that bit older (8&9) and are making more sensible decisions. I think how much you give totally depends on what you expect kids to buy for themselves, if you are just talking money for sweets and pokemon cards then the amount should be reflective of this. If you expect kids to buy everything ie things like Ripsticks and Ipods then you have to let them earn pocket money that makes it attainable without them losing interest.

We work on a basic principle of $3 per week no real strings attached, but bad behaviour will not be tolerated and then they can earn an extra $1 per day for small rostered jobs, so the upper total is $10. I try to keep it simple and not subjective ie. you either do the job or you don't. The kids can spend the $3 on whatever they want but the extra money must go towards an approved item. It has been interesting as the kids figure out that if they want a new video game they club together and save equal amounts and cut the waiting time in half.

kiwinow

I'm with Ginger that the kids, especially the boys would always ask "How much will you give me" when asked to do anything, so we canned the idea of earning money through jobs. Ordinary tasks like making beds, dishes etc are expected as part of belonging to the family. They may earn money by doing larger jobs, eg my 15yo wanted $10 to go have lunch with friends, but I only had a $20 so I gave it to him on the understanding that the following day he's pull nails out of a pile of fire-wood, and he did. We are a bit spasmodic about pocket money, but often pay for movies, pool etc. Sometimes I think we should give them a regular wage and let them use it for such trips, but when some parent is sitting outside with the car running waiting to take your kid to the pool it's hard not to fork out.

goldchoccycoin

I remember getting 40p a week as a 9 year old - enough for a Beano or Dandy comic and a Twix! (or some penny sweets).

I still love Twix!

homewardbound

Pocket money has never really worked in our house... they always wanted more for the jobs they did extra and then would fight over who was doing the chore.

So now I expect them to keep their room tidy, empty the dishwasher and bring the bins and mail in... and they just do it no arguements about the value or who is gonna get what!

I may try the pocket money thing again when I'm back working fulltime.

mysnix

My two have virtually never had pocket money - there are fazes when they will do a job for a week to get money for something in particular but they soon get bored and can't be bothered so they don't get anything.

I virtually never buy them anything extra either, sweets, magazines etc. The only thing I do pay is for their phones, I have put them both on phone plans so that I know I can always be contacted and contactable; but even then they had their phones as either their birthday or Christmas present.

We agreed when, I think, they were around 5 and 8 respectively that if they made their beds each morning, put their dirty clothes in the washing basket, kept their bedroom floors clear and put their dirty plates etc in the dishwasher every day that I would give them pocket money - I think it was $5 a week - I do know these are things they should do anyway! Anyway I think I have paid out maybe 4 or 5 times since then - that was 5 years ago!

I don't make it hard for them, but obviously they are not that bothered to have money.

I had my first 'job' when I was 7 and I had to load the milk cartons into a fridge in my dad's shop on a sunday morning. I got 50p a week for it and was very proud. I carried on working for my pocket money until I left home. Don't really know where I have gone wrong with my two, they really don't seem to care if they have money or not. They are as lazy as too ...

Nikki
x

emelems

RE the "kids won't do anything unless you pay me" threads

On our joblist when we were travelling, if you took the bin from the motorhome, tied it up and then popped it into the caravan parks bin, then put in the liner etc back into the plastic bin back in the van, you earnt 20c...

So.. number 1 son and my argument.. I had sorted out the bin, tied it up and left it by the door.. son was off to the loo in the block and i said to him can he take the bin bag and pop it into the bin when he then started with the "what am I going to earn !? How much are you going to pay me??!"... I said, nothing.. I just want you to do it as you walk past, I am doing the rest... so he told me flatly "no"...

I wasnt sure how to handle this?

So.. OH came back from his shower, I told him and he said.. leave it with me..

Son came back from the loo... OH said to him "you are sacked"...

Sacked???

Yes son, you are Sacked and are no longer eligable to earn any money.. you aren't putting your whole into being part of the family jobwise and I am not paying you anymore until you prove that you are worthwhile for me to employ!

LMAO! I didnt know what to say... Son was gutted!!!! After a day of sulking, he then apologised for not giving me a hand and expecting way too much.. he then did a load of jobs out of the goodness of his heart (me and OH helped him along the way with suggesting this!!) and he was re-instated after about 3 days of him making an effort..

Moral of the story... no one is indispensable... if you want to work as a team and do well in life, you have to give as well as take...

Em x

PS Forgot to mention, that whilst son was suspended from duties! (LOL!) our daughter spent the whole time doing extra washing up and chores with a glint in her eye and loudly announcing how much she had earnt every 5 seconds... we didnt encourage her, but we didnt shut her up either.. kids can be evil! haha!

jazzys

OK expats, pick the holes in this for me will ya.


Pocket Money Agreement

Some jobs around the house are expected to be done without payment,
So don’t bother asking for money for every job I ask you to do.
I’ll ask you to do them because you are part of the team and I need your help.
__________________________________________________ ______

Cut grass front and back $10 per week

Do dishwasher and keep bedroom and bathroom tidy $11 a week

If you don’t keep your room tidy, hang towels etc, you will have money deducted at the rate of $2 per day, for every day you don’t do it.

I don’t expect to have to tell you to do your jobs. The jobs are there and you can earn money for doing them. If you want money you have an opportunity to earn it.
__________________________________________________ __________

You MUST save one third of whatever you earn.
__________________________________________________ __________

You must also keep a record of what you earn and what you spend
__________________________________________________ ___________________

Failure to do the jobs I ask you to do without payment, will mean you get sacked and you will no longer have the opportunity to earn money.

Bad behaviour or failure to do homework on time will also result in loss of earnings.



I feel like a boot camp sergeant major but its all in the name of educating the lad to take care of money. let me know your thoughts.

Jazzys

emelems

haha! I like it! You can come and order my kids around anytime! (kiddin!)

Have you bought the book "7 habits of highly effective teens" by Sean Covey? Worth buying and telling him to read... (and of course read it yourself..) it is great for loads of practical life advice!

Anyway, back to your list...

Looks good to me.. trying to think what else... I like the fact that you are deducting money if he doesnt do the job, but if it were me I would go at it from the angle of " if you don't do the job, I'll do it and it will cost you $2 for me to do it".. ie, you get paid from him... and make him give you the money..

Em x

PS I think some people (usually relatives!) can think that you are being a bit harsh with this sort of thing.. ie, kids will be kids.. etc etc.. try to think bigger picture when you come up against this thinking.. you're kid will be the child who has a clue how much things cost and how to earn and hold money... you are setting him up for life with making him think thru his financial transactions...