I wanted to see what everybody else does for allowances for their children – how much you give them, at what ages do you start, when you increase the amount, and what do you consider “extra jobs for extra pay”?
My husband and I want to teach our children to manage money Biblically – we’ve given them 3 jars – one for church, savings and spending. For their allowance (ages 7, 6, 4) they get 15 cents a week – one nickel goes in each jar. We want to teach our children that they need to do chores around the house because they are members of our household – we want them to learn obedience, diligence, productivity, and how to be servants with a happy and willing heart whether they get paid or not. We do want to give them opportunities though to earn extra money above their allowances – especially the boys so that they hopefully will be able to be debt free – even with buying a house one day.
So given all of that – what do you all consider jobs that are opportunities to earn extra money, yet still keep the right attitude that they do their regular chores with happy hearts that don’t necessarily earn them the extras? Do you all see what I mean? Thanks!!
We give allowances. The children are responsible for their own luxuries, gifts to others, and anything that we find they are being careless of (namely, school supplies/socks). I dock allowances for missing school books. We did start out with a tithe and your post has reminded me to see that it’s getting done. Sometimes I am not able to pass the allowance on to the children. In that case they learn that allowances are always a privilege, never a right, and they have a responsibility to help the family financially when needed.
Paid jobs are rare around here but when they do happen it is typically something that I really, really do not want to do but probably should, a job that we parents would either probably never get done or would pay to have it done, or something that is paid as a surprise. Also, when a child just needs some extra cash (for an approved purpose) I’ll come up with something. Oh, and all paid jobs can only be done after regular chores are complete to satisfaction (mine, that is! :))