Allowance or not?

[kinlaw6450]

My DD who just recently turned 8 thinks she deserves an allowance. I think she socializes to much at school cause I have never discussed it with her...LOL

Anyway, what is acceptable if anything for 8?

She sucks at keeping her room clean but likes to clean the bathroom. She is also responsible for feeding the dog and the rats (her pets!). I usually get her to run the trash out too. So that's it for her household duties...

Suggestions?

 

[Bob NC]

We give an allowance, but, it's not tied to household chores. Chores they are expected to do no matter what. Kids just like to have a little spending money to call their own.

At 8 a couple or few bucks a week should be fine.

 

[ratsrule]

She has rats i say YES

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

My 8 year old gets $10 per week to spend as he sees fit. He saves the majority of it for video games. :roll: Small amounts are spent on things like Slurpees or Yu-Gi-Oh cards.

We actually spend far less on him since going to this system. He's an only child and was nickeling and diming us to death!

He does have chores, but the allowance is not based on them.

 

[Snow White]

I agree about the chores not being related to the allowance, in our home the boys have always been expected to "participate" in our home by helping out where needed. I have a list posted in the laundry room of each of their "chores" that they are expected to do each day, that way I don't have to have the argument that "they didn't know" I wanted them to do something. I just leave the list there all the time and they repeat the same chores each week. We give them allowance so they can learn to budget their money and learn to use it for the things they will want. The only problem is if you're not careful, they will spend it all at the beginning of the week and then something "way important" will come on the weekend and you end up giving them more money for that! lol! We sortof fixed that by giving allowance on Thursday now so they still have most of it on the weekend.

michelle

 

[kinlaw6450]

LOL Ratsrule... allowance for harboring rats! I do admit they are getting fun to have around...

As for the chores...well put. She is expected to do them regardless so it really wouldn't be logical to attach money would it??

I think maybe $5 might be a good starting point after reading here....$10 seems a little high for her since she has never had money of her own (ok, I am not counting birthday and christmas)

 

[aprincessmom]

We give an allowance, but, it's not tied to household chores. Chores they are expected to do no matter what.

That is how it is in our house. Chores are part of being a good citizen in the community -- in this case, it's our house. DD is responsible for making her bed, cleaning her room (including vacuuming and dusting), putting away her laundered clothes, feed the cat, collecting the mail from the mailbox, and clearing and setting the table. She does other things too but these are what I expect day in and day out.

DD is 6 and gets $5 a week for allowance. I have tied the allowance to learning about finance...how to save and how to spend. She is reminded to put aside a certain amount for savings each week but I don't force it. However, she has been schooled in the consequences should she decide against it (no money saved means no money to spend). She and I worked out a base amount for saving. She can save more if she'd like. She can spend her money on anything she wants to spend it on but when it's gone, that's it.

She's done very well. She saves more than she spends but it makes her feel good to pay for her own snacks at school if she'd like one or be able to go to the dollar store and buy herself a treat when mom gives the thumbs down to spending her own money (mom's money) on another bag of marbles.

She is also learning the value and sense of accomplishment in making and reaching a goal with some of her bigger purchases (she bought the Monsters Inc. DVD all on her own and a few CDs).

I think it's a good idea for kids to learn good financial habits at a young age so go ahead and give her an allowance mom!

 

[tiggerlover]

My DS is 6 and does not get an allowance yet, however the subject has come up. I think 8 is just fine to get an allowance, and I think $5 is more than generous. When my DS starts learning more about money in school we may consider a small allowance of a couple of dollars. I do agree with the others that an allowance should not be tied to chores, I think chores are expected from all members who live in the house.

 

[Briar Rose 7457]

I give my 10 year old about $10 a week. she can use it to buy snacks at school or knick knacks in the school sotre, or she can save it and go to the mall.

 

[RUDisney]

We've been teaching the value of money by reminding them every time that we get paid that money is deposited into their college funds. We actually have them trained that when they get money for Halloween, birthday, tooth fairy, etc., they put it into the coin basket in my bedroom so I can deposit into their accounts. They like seeing the money grow and they also know that if we deem that something is acceptable for them, we'll pay for it for them.

I hope that this lasts for a long time. I know we'll eventually have to give them an allowance that they can keep, but for now, this is working out just fine for us. They are 6 & 7.

 

[MerryPoppins]

We do the allowance thing, but that means that they have to spend their own money for snacks and save for things they are wanting. We buy gifts when we feel like it, but having money has helped end the "gimmies".

I don't tie it to chores, but when I have to do one of their chores I've been known to give them a choice. Pay me for my work or do one of mine in return. I'm a mean mommy.