I was asked recently about how we manage chores and allowance in our family. I thought I would share what we have used for years.
Mike and I decided when the kids were very little that we needed to train them while they were still young to help out. We decided on a list of chores, and assigned an amount to each chore. I don't assign anyone particular chores, they are fair game to anyone who wants to do them. And the kids are motivated because they know how much money they are earning each time they do a specific chore. Some are worth more than others and some are worth less just simply because they can be done at least once a day. They will get paid for that chore every time they do it even if they do it twice a day. ( Taking out the garbage would be an example of that.)
I saw on an Oprah show many, many years ago where a finance guy, I can't even remember who he was, was talking about teaching your kids financial responsibility and he said you should definitely give your kids money for doing chores, but that they should put some away for savings each time. He suggested breaking their allowance into several groups. I got the idea of breaking their allowances up into fours groups for them. So this is how we do it.
1/4 of their allowance goes to God.
1/4 of their allowance goes to Savings. (they have bank accounts)
1/4 of their allowance goes to family tax. ( we use this money to do something fun as a family, like go to the movies or bowling)
1/4 of their allowance goes to themselves. It is their money to do what they wish. I put no parameters on it. If they choose to save it for something they may, or if they choose to spend it on candy and gum, they may. It is totally theirs to do with as they please. So the money that Kylee and Faith saved up came from the 1/4 of the money they get to keep. (Faith also earned money for babysitting.)
I am a firm believer that the only reason our house runs as smoothly as it does, and I don't feel like pulling out all my hair and running away from home each evening, is because of our chore system. Our kids are responsible for everything from doing all their own laundry (washing, folding and putting away) to picking up dog poop. Any chore that can be done is worth something and if it isn't on the list I can find a place for it and they will be paid for it. There is one exception, and that is the cleaning of their rooms. That is their own space and they are expected to maintain that. So they are not paid for cleaning their rooms.
The last thing I have to say about chores is that we work together everyday to keep things in order but we take about 1-2 hours every Thursday to really clean the house. All the kids know that is the time it is going to happen and they do great banning together.
As a matter of fact, a few weeks ago on a Thursday, while we were still doing our regular school work we had just about finished up with their school work and I got a call. I went up stairs and by the time I was off the phone I came down stairs and they had all finished their school assignments and had picked chores off the list to start our Thursday cleaning. They had done it all on their own!!
Hope this helps someone. I know I couldn't live with out it!
Kristen
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5 comments:
Hey girl I appreciate you posting that. I love it and think that for 3/4 of our kids it would work great. However there is one if given the freedom to not do chores would not do them. I am still thinking it through maybe I could make it mandatory to choose two a day. You're awesome
love b
You guys are doing a great job! When they were at my house taking care of me, Kylee Hope vacuumed floors and Faith cleaned the bathroom-then Kristen mopped everything with bleach-my house was pretty sparkly for a couple days-alas the Max dog hair took over! But it was great!!
Yeah, I don't want to make it sound like it is the perfect system for everyone. It has taken YEARS for us to get it to something that works for our family. Lots of trial and error. And we have definitely had pay days where one of my little guys hasn't done too much and received 50 cents as their take home. It doesn't take too many times of them receiving 50 cents and sister receiving 10 dollars before they get their act together though!!!
Also we don't give them money or just buy them things for no reason so they really look forward to, and depend on, the money they earn.
Though I don't agree with paying kids for chores, I DO agree they should be paid an allowance. In my new book, The Ultimate Allowance, I show parents how to take the money they spend ON their children and run it THROUGH them instead.
Kids don't get much practice with money that translates into lessons for later in life (i.e., adulthood) so getting them up to speed by taking care of all their own finances is a great way to teach them how to be financially self-reliant and free later.
I also agree with having the kids learn that money has several different jobs. In our Camp Millionaire programs, we teach kids that money has 6 jobs: living, saving, investing, education, play and donation. They love the concept, go home and start their own Money Jars and more. It always amazes me how much information their parents learn during our camps as well. It's so important that we teach our kids about money while they are young!
We're in the process of designing a system for the kids too. They love the Giving Back To God part of class at the Orchard and we want them to start making the choice from their own money and not ours! Also, I didn't want them to have to wait for birthdays and Christmas to get money to save, give, spend. We are making a list of chores they each need to do--cleaning up after meals, laundry, garbage take out etc. with a couple bonus items. Then we'll put a value on each chore. Each day of the week they get a sticker for the chores done with an end of the week payday. They'll need to divide up into tithing, saving and keeping. We thought originally 10% tithe, then 1/2 savings, 1/2 spending. I'm diggin' the family tax though. That's interesting. Thanks for the info!
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