Have you ever met a kid with a “what’s in it for me” attitude? Do you have one of those kids? This week’s post can help conquer that attitude with an allowance system that teaches kids the value of money, encourages them to save for a goal, and helps them learn the joy of helping.
By the time kids are eight years old (and younger kids who are mature in their understanding of money), they are ready for a new allowance system. The “all or nothing” program that keeps things simple for younger kids just doesn’t meet the developmental needs of older ones.
The allowance system for 8 – 12-year-olds is based on earning beads for helping out around the house. Start by making a list of jobs needing to be done and by getting a small jar for each child and a supply of beads. Let the kids know that when their expected jobs are completed, they are invited to do additional jobs for beads. Expected jobs are the things they got allowance for when they were younger. In my house, the kids need to take care of the dog, keep their shoes and socks put away, and keep their bedrooms and shared bathroom clean. These tasks are expected to be completed simply because they are part of keeping a nice living environment for the rest of the family and because they help us maintain the value of our home (I sometimes have to remind my daughter that her bedroom carpet can’t be vacuumed until she puts away her toys and she doesn’t make enough allowance to pay for new carpet if hers wears out because it never gets cleaned). When those things are taken care of, they can move on to paying jobs.
Each bead is worth $0.25, and most jobs are worth one bead. I break them down into reasonable bites in keeping with the $0.25 price tag. For example, vacuuming the carpeted areas on our main floor is worth one bead, vacuuming the hardwood areas of the main floor is worth one bead, and moping the hardwood on the main floor is worth one bead. However, if someone does all three of these jobs, I am likely to throw in a bonus bead, because that is a lot of work! Other jobs worth one bead are cleaning all of the mirrors in the house, cleaning the counter, sink and toilet in a bathroom, or doing the dishes. Sometimes my kids will negotiate larger payouts for larger jobs. For example, washing my car will earn someone two beads. My kids will also negotiate “package deals” by asking how many beads they can have if they pick up, dust and vacuum the family room. I am always open to negotiations, but my kids also know that I have the final say on acceptable jobs and beads awarded.
My kids also know that I will ask them to do thing just to help out and that no bead will be awarded. If I have already bagged up the trash, I may ask one of them to take the bag to the garage for free, simply because I need help. Don’t let the kids feel like they need to get paid to do anything.
Once we started this system, I was happily amazed at how my kids began helping out more even when they weren’t getting paid. I think part of the change came from realizing that they were capable of doing more than they knew. Moms can help with this by resisting the urge to criticize their children’s work. Don’t expect them to clean the same way you would. They are not as strong or as tall, so adult cleaning supplies, especially the vacuum and mop, can be difficult for them to manage. Reward them for their effort and gently teach them techniques for doing a more thorough job next time. When kids feel successful, they are more likely to try again, even without a tangible reward.
This allowance system is also great for kids who are saving their money for something specific because it gives them control over how quickly they reach their goal. My house looks like a model home the week before a school book fair because my kids are frantically trying to earn as much money as they can. My oldest daughter is saving up for a new guitar, so as soon as her homework is done she gets busy doing jobs. I can tell when my kids don’t have a goal in mind because their jars sit empty for a week or two.
I pay allowance twice a month under this system, just like a paycheck. Payday is on the 1st and the 15th of every month. This payment plan gets kids ready for the next system they will have for earning money when they are teenagers. For more on that, check in next week.
Showing posts with label allowance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label allowance. Show all posts
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Helping Young Kids Get A Handle On Money And More
First off, I appologize for neglecting my blog for so long. Thank you for faithfully checking back and for sticking with me.
Secondly, November is Money Month, so all this month we will talk about teaching kids to manage finances through different, age-appropriate forms of allowance. If your kids aren't in the age group discussed this week, check back next week for tips for 8 - 12-year-olds or the following week for tips for teens.
Thanks again for your continued support. Now, on to this week's post...
Parents often ask me what they can do to get their kids to pick up all of the stuff they leave around the house. In addition to toys, most kids leave a trail of shoes, socks, snack wrappers, juice pouches, sporting equipment, and other odds and ends all over the place.
Between the ages of 4 and 8, it can help to start giving them an allowance. In order for kids to learn how to count money, as well as how to use it, they need to be in charge of some. I recommend giving kids this age three allowance jobs. Make sure they are easy jobs the child can do independently. For example, my children’s first allowance jobs were to feed the dog twice a day, keep their shoes and socks either on their feet or put away, and keep their rooms tidy (remember to keep your expectation of “tidy” age appropriate).
It works well to keep your system simple – if the child does all of his jobs, he gets all of his allowance. If he doesn’t do a job, he gets no allowance. It is too confusing and too much maintenance to pay different amounts of money for different jobs. I recommend paying $2.50 a week. This comes to $10 a month which is plenty of money for kids this age.
When you pay the earned money, pay it in quarters (if you pay $2.50 a week, that means the child receives a very impressive stack of 10 quarters). Then, every night after dinner, have a short time of family cleaning. In my home, we simply call it “15 minutes.” For 15 minutes, everyone works at picking up the debris that accumulated around the house during the day, while I clean up dinner. On Sundays, after 15 minutes is up, I walk around the main living area of the house (not the kids’ bedrooms) and pick up anything left out. The items I collect go into a bag, where they stay for one week. The kids must purchase their things out of the bag the following Sunday for $0.25 per item (this is why you pay allowance in quarters). If they need something before the week is up (like their shoes) they may buy things early for $0.50 each. All items must be purchased from the bag by the end of the week and must be put away once purchased.
This system encourages kids to do their allowance jobs and keep their things put away. You can have your child use a chart to keep track of his work if you want to, although at this age it is generally easy to see if the work is completed or not. If you do use a chart, Target stores carry a cute magnetic one that has many common jobs already listed on moveable magnets, along with blank magnets so you can make up your own tasks.
If you have a great idea for encouraging your kids to pick up after themselves or for handling allowance, share it with us by commenting on this post.
Next month we will talk about handling allowance for 8 – 12-year-olds.
Secondly, November is Money Month, so all this month we will talk about teaching kids to manage finances through different, age-appropriate forms of allowance. If your kids aren't in the age group discussed this week, check back next week for tips for 8 - 12-year-olds or the following week for tips for teens.
Thanks again for your continued support. Now, on to this week's post...
Parents often ask me what they can do to get their kids to pick up all of the stuff they leave around the house. In addition to toys, most kids leave a trail of shoes, socks, snack wrappers, juice pouches, sporting equipment, and other odds and ends all over the place.
Between the ages of 4 and 8, it can help to start giving them an allowance. In order for kids to learn how to count money, as well as how to use it, they need to be in charge of some. I recommend giving kids this age three allowance jobs. Make sure they are easy jobs the child can do independently. For example, my children’s first allowance jobs were to feed the dog twice a day, keep their shoes and socks either on their feet or put away, and keep their rooms tidy (remember to keep your expectation of “tidy” age appropriate).
It works well to keep your system simple – if the child does all of his jobs, he gets all of his allowance. If he doesn’t do a job, he gets no allowance. It is too confusing and too much maintenance to pay different amounts of money for different jobs. I recommend paying $2.50 a week. This comes to $10 a month which is plenty of money for kids this age.
When you pay the earned money, pay it in quarters (if you pay $2.50 a week, that means the child receives a very impressive stack of 10 quarters). Then, every night after dinner, have a short time of family cleaning. In my home, we simply call it “15 minutes.” For 15 minutes, everyone works at picking up the debris that accumulated around the house during the day, while I clean up dinner. On Sundays, after 15 minutes is up, I walk around the main living area of the house (not the kids’ bedrooms) and pick up anything left out. The items I collect go into a bag, where they stay for one week. The kids must purchase their things out of the bag the following Sunday for $0.25 per item (this is why you pay allowance in quarters). If they need something before the week is up (like their shoes) they may buy things early for $0.50 each. All items must be purchased from the bag by the end of the week and must be put away once purchased.
This system encourages kids to do their allowance jobs and keep their things put away. You can have your child use a chart to keep track of his work if you want to, although at this age it is generally easy to see if the work is completed or not. If you do use a chart, Target stores carry a cute magnetic one that has many common jobs already listed on moveable magnets, along with blank magnets so you can make up your own tasks.
If you have a great idea for encouraging your kids to pick up after themselves or for handling allowance, share it with us by commenting on this post.
Next month we will talk about handling allowance for 8 – 12-year-olds.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Little Laborers
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men… Colossians 3:23
The observance of Labor Day this week got me thinking about work—specifically kid work. The type and amount of work kids do around the house, as well as their compensation for it, are hot topics with moms. In fact, when I speak to moms groups, I get more questions about allowance than any other topic. And I don’t even give a formal talk on the subject!
I think chores are a grey area in parenting because we all have different opinions on what jobs are appropriate at what age. For instance, I have a friend whose seven-year-old is responsible for vacuuming out their car. That works for their family, but because I know how much trouble I have maneuvering that fat hose into all of the tiny nooks of my SUV, I don’t ask my seven-year-old to do it.
Another cause for the variation in chores is the fact that each child has different abilities. My five-year-old, for example, has a very short attention span. Trying to get her to clean her entire room in one sitting is an exercise in futility. However, her ability to focus lasts about the same amount of time as is required to clean a bathroom sink, making that the perfect job for her.
There is nothing that says your kids have to do certain chores at specific ages. There is also nothing that requires them to do the same jobs your neighbor’s kids do. You, as their mother, know what they can handle.
The next area of concern is how to pay kids for their work, if you pay them at all. I hear a lot of “experts” saying that kids should just work because they are part of the family and each member needs to contribute. I agree with that to a point. However, the benefits of an allowance are just too great to ignore.
In my family (recognize that I am not saying this is how you should do it), the kids have specific tasks they do in order to receive an allowance. They also help in additional ways because they are contributing members of our family. Both of my kids earn $2.50 per week if they do all of their allowance jobs every day. Allowance jobs include things like putting their shoes away, keeping their rooms tidy (at a level reasonable for their ages), making sure the dog has food and water, and cleaning their bathroom sink. If they do all of their jobs, they get all of their money. If they miss something, they miss their allowance until the following week.
Additionally, I will periodically say, “Okay kids, I’m doing the bag tonight!” This means they need to get all of their odds and ends picked up from around the main living area of the house before going to bed. Anything left out after bedtime goes into “The Bag” and they must buy each item back for $.25 at the end of the week. I pay my kids their allowance in quarters so they can buy back the socks that are left under the dining room table and the movie boxes that sit next to the DVD player. Everything must be purchased and then put away or added to the Goodwill pile. If someone needs something before the end of the week (like the time my daughter left her gymnastics leotard sitting out) it may be purchased early for $.50. Deciding to leave something in the bag rather than buying it back is not a choice.
This system works great for us because it really motivates to kids to keep things picked up and it helps add value to their allowance.
In addition to their allowance jobs, the kids also help clear the table after meals, help sort laundry, dust furniture, or do whatever else I ask them to help with. They are generally happy to help because they enjoy being part of family activity and my husband and I strive to show them work in a positive light. We never use added chores, or yucky ones, as punishment.
Even though it gets tiring and mundane, I consider the ability to do work to be a blessing. I am fortunate to be physically able to take care of my home, and I hope my children will grow to see it positively as well. And while no one likes cleaning toilets or taking out the trash, the house sure feels nice once it is done.
Tell us how you make job-sharing and allowance work in your family.
The observance of Labor Day this week got me thinking about work—specifically kid work. The type and amount of work kids do around the house, as well as their compensation for it, are hot topics with moms. In fact, when I speak to moms groups, I get more questions about allowance than any other topic. And I don’t even give a formal talk on the subject!
I think chores are a grey area in parenting because we all have different opinions on what jobs are appropriate at what age. For instance, I have a friend whose seven-year-old is responsible for vacuuming out their car. That works for their family, but because I know how much trouble I have maneuvering that fat hose into all of the tiny nooks of my SUV, I don’t ask my seven-year-old to do it.
Another cause for the variation in chores is the fact that each child has different abilities. My five-year-old, for example, has a very short attention span. Trying to get her to clean her entire room in one sitting is an exercise in futility. However, her ability to focus lasts about the same amount of time as is required to clean a bathroom sink, making that the perfect job for her.
There is nothing that says your kids have to do certain chores at specific ages. There is also nothing that requires them to do the same jobs your neighbor’s kids do. You, as their mother, know what they can handle.
The next area of concern is how to pay kids for their work, if you pay them at all. I hear a lot of “experts” saying that kids should just work because they are part of the family and each member needs to contribute. I agree with that to a point. However, the benefits of an allowance are just too great to ignore.
In my family (recognize that I am not saying this is how you should do it), the kids have specific tasks they do in order to receive an allowance. They also help in additional ways because they are contributing members of our family. Both of my kids earn $2.50 per week if they do all of their allowance jobs every day. Allowance jobs include things like putting their shoes away, keeping their rooms tidy (at a level reasonable for their ages), making sure the dog has food and water, and cleaning their bathroom sink. If they do all of their jobs, they get all of their money. If they miss something, they miss their allowance until the following week.
Additionally, I will periodically say, “Okay kids, I’m doing the bag tonight!” This means they need to get all of their odds and ends picked up from around the main living area of the house before going to bed. Anything left out after bedtime goes into “The Bag” and they must buy each item back for $.25 at the end of the week. I pay my kids their allowance in quarters so they can buy back the socks that are left under the dining room table and the movie boxes that sit next to the DVD player. Everything must be purchased and then put away or added to the Goodwill pile. If someone needs something before the end of the week (like the time my daughter left her gymnastics leotard sitting out) it may be purchased early for $.50. Deciding to leave something in the bag rather than buying it back is not a choice.
This system works great for us because it really motivates to kids to keep things picked up and it helps add value to their allowance.
In addition to their allowance jobs, the kids also help clear the table after meals, help sort laundry, dust furniture, or do whatever else I ask them to help with. They are generally happy to help because they enjoy being part of family activity and my husband and I strive to show them work in a positive light. We never use added chores, or yucky ones, as punishment.
Even though it gets tiring and mundane, I consider the ability to do work to be a blessing. I am fortunate to be physically able to take care of my home, and I hope my children will grow to see it positively as well. And while no one likes cleaning toilets or taking out the trash, the house sure feels nice once it is done.
Tell us how you make job-sharing and allowance work in your family.
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