Making them earn it $

[Beezle2]

It's raining today and I have nothing else to do so:

For the first time I am making my kid and my grandson earn their Disney spending money. This is my DD9's 6th trip and my GS13's 2nd. I have given them chores they can do for money and also a reading/writing challenge.

For DD I am paying $5 for every book of a certain length that she reads and writes a 1/2 page summary. The books have to be approved for length, no Magic Treehouse type books they have to be longer and more involved then that.

For GS the same deal but I am paying $10 for an approved book and a full written page summary.

The manual labor choice is moving river rock 1 bucket at a time $5.00 per bucket. It takes about an hour to dig the rock and move it to where I want it.

My GS loves to read but not write, he has not done one yet. DD has read books but doesn't want to write either. She has moved 1 bucket of rock.

So am I evil, lol?

 

[chris31997]

Have you paid DD yet?

I think it is great

 

[*Seanaci*]

Not at all! I think it's a great way to keep them busy (and hopefully from complaining about being bored)...and to earn money for the trip.

When we took trips during high school (my freshman year was west coast to Disney Land, junior year was east coase to WDW), I had to earn my trip money (the trip was school sponsered for band/orchestra) by mowing lawns, raking leaves, shovelling walks, and I believe with my mom's help/supervision cleaned a couple of houses for trip money.

 

[amy-momofthree]

It's raining today and I have nothing else to do so:

For the first time I am making my kid and my grandson earn their Disney spending money. This is my DD9's 6th trip and my GS13's 2nd. I have given them chores they can do for money and also a reading/writing challenge.

For DD I am paying $5 for every
book of a certain length that she reads and writes a 1/2 page summary. The books have to be approved for length, no Magic
Treehouse type books they have to be longer and more involved then that.

For GS the same deal but I am paying $10 for an approved book
and a full written page summary.

The manual labor choice is moving
river rock 1 bucket at a time $5.00
per bucket. It takes about an hour
to dig the rock and move it to
where I want it.

My GS loves to read but not write,
he has not done one yet. DD has
read books but doesn't want to
write either. She has moved 1
bucket of rock.

So am I evil, lol?

Evil?? No! Your rates are way better than mine. My kids get .25 for any book under 40 pages and .50 for any chapter book. Dd is 6 and ds is 8 and they are pleased with that!!

 

[sydneysmom]

I think it's great... it's a really good incentive to get them to read, that's for sure !! it's a win-win for everyone !

 

[DaniB]

I think it's great! I believe too many kids in this generation expect things to come to them without earning it.

My daughter gets $1 for every 30 minutes of reading she sits with me and does. My son, I'm not sure yet... minutes or a complete book? He does not have learning difficulties and loves to read as it is. I may "pay" him to keep the journal instead.

Both will be keeping daily written journals as well.

I already warned both kids this starts Monday!

 

[Dave1234]

Thats old school. Sounds like Tom Sawyer or something

 

[Beezle2]

Have you paid DD yet?

I think it is great

>>

We have a chart to keep track. If she wants money she can ask for it She does have her money she earned from spelling tests this school year $102. I am encouraging her to save that too but it is hers.

 

[Scambone]

It's raining today and I have nothing else to do so:

For the first time I am making my kid and my grandson earn their Disney spending money. This is my DD9's 6th trip and my GS13's 2nd. I have given them chores they can do for money and also a reading/writing challenge.

For DD I am paying $5 for every book of a certain length that she reads and writes a 1/2 page summary. The books have to be approved for length, no Magic Treehouse type books they have to be longer and more involved then that.

For GS the same deal but I am paying $10 for an approved book and a full written page summary.

The manual labor choice is moving river rock 1 bucket at a time $5.00 per bucket. It takes about an hour to dig the rock and move it to where I want it.

My GS loves to read but not write, he has not done one yet. DD has read books but doesn't want to write either. She has moved 1 bucket of rock.

So am I evil, lol?

Can you take me under your wing too? I'm just in the next town over and i'll write as many pages as you want. oh and i'm game for the rock moving too. haha.

 

[nchulka]

I haven't paid my kids to read. What I do is let them stay up later reading. At 8:00 you can either sleep or read in your bed. Lights out at 9:30 if you choose to read

 

[v.t.]

I haven't paid my kids to read. What I do is let them stay up later reading. At 8:00 you can either sleep or read in your bed. Lights out at 9:30 if you choose to read

Oooh, that is a good one. I don't pay my kids for school work, but I do pay them for chores. Of course, Grandma pays a lot better.

 

[Beezle2]

Thats old school. Sounds like Tom Sawyer or something

Yes, oh how they will suffer!

 

[Beezle2]

Can you take me under your wing too? I'm just in the next town over and i'll write as many pages as you want. oh and i'm game for the rock moving too. haha.

As long as your not a teen girl...I've suffered enough

 

[Beezle2]

I haven't paid my kids to read. What I do is let them stay up later reading. At 8:00 you can either sleep or read in your bed. Lights out at 9:30 if you choose to read

>>


Not paying so much for the reading as for the writing. They both read well and like it. It's the writing that has them both stymied. I think kids don't do enough of it and want them to do more. DD chose to do rocks! She is actually out there writing her first half page right now and I think once she gets rolling I may be in th epoor house in no time

 

[Scambone]

As long as your not a teen girl...I've suffered enough

haha nah i'm past the teens years by a few years. I'm like a pack mule so it may be cheaper to pay by the hour rather than the bucket My dad has me lifting rail road ties with him so I'm sure the rock would be a piece of cake.

I'm sure if my mom paid me to read books she would have gone broke and i would have been a very rich kid.

 

[Beezle2]

haha nah i'm past the teens years by a few years. I'm like a pack mule so it may be cheaper to pay by the hour rather than the bucket My dad has me lifting rail road ties with him so I'm sure the rock would be a piece of cake. >>>

Oh you poor dear! My Dh and I loaded a 20 yard dumpster with railroad ties last summer. Railroad ties that we had to dig out of the ground, carry across too much space and lift into the dumpster. My God if I never had to do that again I would be SO happy! Sadly we have at least one more dumpster to go, railroad tie must have been cheap when this house was landscaped because we have it everywhere!

I'm sure if my mom paid me to read books she would have gone broke and i would have been a very rich kid.

I hear you there, me too

 

[Disneyliscious]

My 10 year old sells fresh eggs from our chickens for $2 per dozen and he usually sells 15-20 dozen a week. This is his money for Disney/Daytona.

My 17 year old mows lawns and works in tobacco. They have always earned their own money for stuff they want and Disney is no different. He is working out $1000 this summer just so his girlfriend can go with us on our trip next year (I told him he had to cover her way if she was going to go).

I think its great that you are making them earn their dollars. It teaches a valuable lesson for life!

 

[jazz0007]

Fantastic idea...I just told my daughter I'd do the same for her! What do I do with my son...he's just reading and not doing it on his own yet.....

I already paid them this morning for vaccuuming and dusting the house!

 

[rnorwo1]

Thanks for posting this, I've been thinking of asking a similar question. What sort of other chores do you guys pay your kids for? I don't want to do school work type stuff, and I consider basic stuff like picking up toys and clothes, unloading dishwasher, etc just stuff that they should do as part of the family. I have paid the older two for things like weeding the flower beds and cleaning base boards.

What are some other ideas? The older ones are 10 and 5. Thanks for any ideas... the 10 yo wants the new 3d DS, and I told him he had to earn the money for it!

 

[Disneyliscious]

What are some other ideas? The older ones are 10 and 5. Thanks for any ideas... the 10 yo wants the new 3d DS, and I told him he had to earn the money for it!

I have 2 boys, 10 and 17. My youngest does things like sweep, mop, load the dishwasher, take out the trash, feed the animals, vacuuming, and clean his bathroom (includes scrubbing the toilet). My oldest does things like mow the yard, work in the garden, take hay to the animals, or wash my car. When they do these things without being asked, they get paid a certain amount per chore and its paid at the end of the week. They are both expected to keep their bedrooms clean with no pay. To me, that is not a chore its just something you do as being part of a household.

And as I mentioned above, they both earn money with things outside of the home like tobacco or selling eggs. That money is theirs to keep and I let them spend it how they like, but I do give guidance when they want to buy something and suggest thrifty ways for them to spend.

For those who don't live on a farm type setting and don't have all these options I would suggest (in addition to the house work I mentioned) - setting the dinner table, cleaning out the garage or shed, organizing a closet, walking the dog, cleaning the litter box.

Another thing to consider is that just because you don't live on enough land to have a garden doesn't mean you can't have fresh vegetables. Get some cheap flower pots and let your young ones plant tomatoes, squash, herbs, potato's, green beans, or carrots. You can also dig a very small place in your back yard for cucumbers, cantaloupes, watermelons, or pumpkins. Let your children tend to the entire "garden" from start to finish. When they reap the "harvest" you can buy the fresh vegetables from them instead of the store. The idea is that its more about teaching them to grow their own food than the money but doing it as a way to earn money is an incentive for them to do it. Your family ends up with fresh vegetables grown by the love of your kids. My best friend lives in the middle of DC and does this. Her kids feel so "big" about being able to contribute to the family's food supply. She lives in a town home with no yard. They do it in flower pots on her patio.