Chores and Allowance

Something new we started with the kids this summer was chores. They both have been asking for new video games to play in their DS systems, something that I think they should be saving and buying for themselves. I've also wanted to start having them help out around the house, take on some responsibility and feel like they are contributing to our running household. Young and I talked about it and decided it was time to implement chores and allowance. The kids get money from relatives at birthday and Christmas but we wanted a more regular system of teaching them about money, saving and giving.  We decided to set aside a few easy chores we thought they could handle, create a chart for do them and giving an allowance once a month for work done.  They each get about three-four chores a week and $6 at the end of each month...one dollar for each year of their age.  As they get older the chores will get harder as does the amount of allowance they get.

We proposed this to Timo and Cameron and they were totally on board!!  They love the little close pin chart, moving their close pin from "do" to "done".  I generally give them two chores at a time and they can pick which one to do that day.

Anything from folding laundry, put away clothes, unload dishwasher to cleaning the bathroom.

So far only vacuuming has been a little hard for them so I replaced it with dusting.  Cleaning the toilet was a big hit and surprising the most requested chore!

The first month they received their $6 we went though how to set aside for church offering $1, saving $1 and $4 to "play" with.  With video games costing anywhere between $10-30, they quickly realized they would have to work several months to save up enough money.  Their desires turned from games to more simple things...funny how that happens.  For now, they just saved their spending money, hoping to add the following months to it for a bigger stash.  It's been two months now and it's proving to be a good lesson in working and reaping the rewards of your hard labor.