To Pay or Not to Pay...That Is Your Choice

The deliberation about whether to attach an allowance to your child’s chores has been going on for quite some time. Both sides have valid points and concerns. That’s probably why there are so many discussion boards set up online as cyber moms and dads debate the topic. Parents tend to worry that one wrong judgment or move on their part could cause their child to have an entitled demeanor, make poor financial decisions as an adult or not be goal orientated. Here are the arguments surrounding the choices when deciding to pay or not to pay.

To Pay –

There is little to no education set up in schools to support money management or to teach children how to be responsible with their money. Parents who teach their children the value of the dollar or how to save for special items are instilling in them the essential building blocks for adulthood. When you pay your child’s allowance for helping with chores, it will also give them a sense of independence and will teach them that when you work hard, you do get a reward. Children that are more motivated or productive can earn more money by doing more jobs around the house. This will teach them that payment is attached to work, and they will have money to manage.

“When I say I pay for chores, I’m not talking a lot of money, maybe one dollar a week, but it’s enough for them to watch their piggy banks grow,” says William Norman from Independence.

Not to Pay –

The major reason why some families don’t pay for chores is their concern that if they start paying for their child to do chores, they will have to pay them every single time they want something done around the house. Children might put price tags on every single chore, no matter how big or small. Other families feel that everyone is a valuable member of the family and they have a very important role that allows the family to function properly. Everyone participates in the day-to-day chores.

“The family cannot function with me doing all the work by myself, and my children need to know that they won’t be paid as adults to keep up their household, so why should we start now?” says Alexandria Benson from Kansas City, MO.

Let’s Meet in the Middle

We can all agree that it’s important to teach children responsibility and show them how to work hard for something. Maybe instead of giving them cash every time they complete a task, you can create a reward system. Sit down with your child and write a list of all the things they like to do that are special, things like going out for ice cream, having a sleepover or renting a new videogame. Make a chore chart and when a task or assignment is completed put a star next it. When they have filled up their chart by week or month (you decide), let your child pick what goal they would like fulfilled. By establishing a reward system, your child will still understand they are an important part of a working household, learn how to set goals, work hard for something and feel the gratification of achieving those goals. 

“The whole give/no give thing for me is teaching my children to take some responsibility for their actions, understand the value of money and also discover, that there are much greater things in life than money,” says Calista Duskin from Grandview.

Jennifer Duxbury is a freelance writer from Belton who won’t be paying for chores but will be rewarding for good grades.