When your Kids come home from College during breaks/summers

[JanetRose]

...do you have them do chores or require that they help with food, etc, bills?

 

[monkeyboy]

yes.......

 

[KarenAylwood]

I would be the "kid". I'm 23 now but in grad school so I have less breaks and less time off during those breaks...

BUT whenever I have gone home in the past during college my parents never made me pay for anything. I worked for my dad when I could (he owns his own business and paid me when I did work) and during my freshman and sophomore year breaks I worked retail. This was more for my own spending money than anything else. If I went out to eat w/ friends during breaks or needed to buy gas, or had to pick up some milk on my way home, sure- I'd pay for it.

I am not "forced" to do chores (never really have been) but I do clean the entire downstairs of our house at least once during my stay (my dad's a workaholic and my mom works full time and doesn't have the energy or motivation to clean). And I of course will shovel the driveway if need be, or do the dishes, cook, vacuum, etc. These things have always been more of me wanting to help my parents out rather than being forced to.

Not a single one of my friends has ever been required to buy food or help with bills on BREAKS from college. A few that have moved home after graduating have been required to help out and I find that totally understandable.

I just think it's unreasonable to have a college kid help out with the electricity bill when they are home for a few weeks. I'd rather not go home and find a way to pay for my own place if my parents were going to be that petty.

Helping out around the house is one thing, but chipping in for bills is another.

 

[aprilgail2]

I just think it's unreasonable to have a college kid help out with the electricity bill when they are home for a few weeks. I'd rather not go home and find a way to pay for my own place if my parents were going to be that petty.

Helping out around the house is one thing, but chipping in for bills is another.

I agree...I think thats nuts!! When they come home for the summer I would expect them to get a job and use some of the money for back to school things, books etc but not anything like rent etc....

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My DD is home for winter break now. I expect her to help out around the house. If I have chores to do around the house she does part of them. I also expect her to watch her younger brother if I have to bring another child somewhere. I don't have her drive her siblings places in general, but tomorrow her 15yo brother needs to stay after school and I'm having her pick him up. On Saturday she's bringing her 12yo brother to his basketball game since I'm bringing my 6yo to a birthday party (my DH is out of down).

I wouldn't dream of having her pay for food, etc, other than when she's going out with friends. She does have to pay car insurance, but has to pay that when she's at school, too.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I'm a college freshman, so I have only had one major break (a month), but we've had discussions about this at home. I'm expected to help out around the house when I come home for a weekend or break, but it's the same stuff I was expected to do before I left. Help with clearing the table/dishes/putting away food after meals, transfering laundry when asked, help with shoveling or raking (although "forgetting" my allergy meds at school did get me out of that one ), helping bring my sister places since she can't drive yet, vaccum when asked, etc. I am NOT expected to help with the bills. And yes, my parents are forking out the majority of my tuition and room and board. What money I have I am expected to use when I want something, or for buying books, and to save, because I probably won't get much help paying for grad school. The only way I'd be required to help pay bills was if I dropped out of school and moved back, or possibly if I move back after I finish school. But dropping out isn't likely, and moving back is years away. I will be expected to work in the summer, but that's to help pay for all the stuff in the following school year and breaks (dinners/movies out with friends, clothes, text books, and maybe eventually a spring break trip)

 

[horseshowmom]

Help out around the house - yes.
Pay bills - no.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

I graduated college this past may and I still live at home but I have a F/T job. I always helped out around the house on breaks. It was expected of me, but it was the same way when I was in high school. I was never expected to help with the bills. I worked a P/T retail job on big breaks and whatever little money I made from that I used for my own things like gas or books. I still don't pay rent or for any of the bills like electric or cable. I pay my car insurance but thats it. I have too many school loans to worry about. My parents got married, bought a house, and had major medical bills when they were my age. They started out in major debt and they dont want me doing the same thing. I don't think broke college students should be paying rent at home when they really don't have any other choice.

 

[DisneyStar006]

I agree. I'm a college student too and when I come home for breaks I'm expected to (and feel I should anyway) help out with chores, and I take my younger sister places, and my grandmother shopping.

I work full time when home from college, but my parents and I agree that I don't have to contribute in the form of rent or bills. I use that money to go towards term time bills and spending. I live in a rented, shared house at college anyway, so obviously have to maintain that even when I am not there. If I had to pay bills and rent here at home too I would be paying 2x

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

not there yet - but will probably do what my mom did......no to both. As for chores - I kept up with my own stuff such as laundry and my own messes, but beyond that my mom recognized how hard I had to work really hard at school and exams, so at home she let me have a nice break before I had to go back and dig in again. My parents never even consider having me pay to come home to them. They always told me their house was open - as long as I was not being a bum and taking advantage. If I had been making a pay check instead of being a student, it would have been different - besides there is no way I could have afforded it as a student.

well, the chores thing - that would be for the shorter breaks really - summer break I did chores and mowed the lawn and stuff.....had a job over the summer - bu that money was needed for school

 

[Lynn CC]

DS is a freshman at college and is on his last week of winter break right now. He's been sick and in bed for a couple of days now, today is day 3. I'm glad he didn't get this during classes!
No he doesn't help pay for anything, or do any chores. His job is just to get the best grades he can. He is very neat and likes to cook, we love having him home
I'm sure if we needed help, he would get a paying job, right now he likes to volunteer as he did in HS.
I guess we just don't expect anything financially from him until he's out of college, we are just grateful to be able to pay his way, that is of course unless he suddenly decides to go on a trip or something else that's "big" then he's on his own.

 

[Stephanie218]

i'm a sophmore in college, and home in break right now. i'm not expected to pay for anything, i'd like to think my parents enjoy having me home twice or three times a year...

i work at my dad's company when i'm here, and work remotely at school for him as well.

i pay for my own clothes, but parents pay for most food. i also pay for all trips (we went to CA with friends in the fall, we're going to vegas in 3 weeks, and hawaii for spring break, utah in may) luckily my parents are paying for maine this summer!