The Chore War
When I first started this post I had paragraph after paragraph talking about the kids doing their chores. Or not doing the chores as the case may be. And the fights we sometimes have with the kids [especially Keaton and Justis] about getting their chores done.
But then I decided I don’t want to trash the kids on my blog. I really wasn’t, I swear. But I don’t want them to come back to my blog in 10 years and go “I can’t believe you wrote that about me on your blog. I totally did my chores.” So I those paragraphs went to paragraph heaven.
Instead my real point of this post was to find out what other people do. What are you viewpoints on chores and allowance?
Like many households, getting the kids to do chores is, well, a chore in our home. I’ve been trying to come up with some better ways to encourage the kids to do their chores.
This year we started giving Keaton and Justis an allowance for doing chores. I’ve read that some people do not agree with giving kids an allowance for doing chores. That chores should be expected as a member of a household. These people say you should give kids an allowance based on their age; like $1 for every year of their age [e.g. $10 for a 10 year old]. I think that’s weird. It’s not ok to give them money for doing chores, but it’s ok to give them money just for existing. Huh?
I agree an allowance is a good way for kids to begin to learn about cause and effect. It teaches kids how to make good choices about how they spend their money. It also helps them learn to save. In fact, while reading up on this I read that some parents encourage their kids to save by matching, dollar for dollar, everything that their child puts in to savings. I think we’ll start doing that too. I like that idea.
But I don’t understand why it’s not important to teach them that hard work earns them a good dollar.
We have some chores set aside that Keaton and Justis do “for rent.” And by that I mean, they do those chores for no money [you ever notice how "no money" sounds better then "free?"] because they are a member of this household. They put their laundry away, clean their room and bathroom and once a week they clean the living room for no money.
They also have some chores that they are required to do, but they also get paid for doing them. They are required to do the dishes after school and before bed every night. They are required to wipe off the kitchen table and chairs along with the counters and sweeping the kitchen floor every night. One does dishes, the other does kitchen duty and they usually switch off every week. They are also required to take out the garbage and recycling every Sunday. These are chores that they are both required to do as a member of this household AND they get paid for.
Finally, we have some additional chores they can do if they choose to. And, of course, they get paid for these chores. These are things like cleaning the main bathroom, mopping the kitchen floor, cleaning out the fridge and freezing and mowing or shoveling.
Of course, even getting paid for chores does not always encourage them to do their chores. But it has helped.
I’m not sure there is any right or wrong answer to chore wars. It’s really just trial and error. We are still trying new things to see what the kids will respond to. Hopefully we’ll have some good suggestions by the time Caleb graduates in to an allowance. But who knows.
What do you do to get your kids to do chores?
I’d love to tell you that I have the answers for ya to get the little squatters to do their chores, but I don’t. My kids are not rewarded in cash for their chores. They are expected to help out. My only suggestion is to do what I do…beat the hell outta them until the do it. LOL
No, really what I do with Nick is use it more as a reward. If he wants to do something (go to a movie or have a friend over) then I tell him he needs to clean his room, switch the laundry, etc. Then he is rewarded with something he wants to do. Also, if we go to Wal-mart then he’s more likely to be rewarded. If he hasn’t done a good job of doing his chores, well maybe next time he can get something. Nothing sucks more than to have your little brother throw it in your face that he got something and you didn’t.
I can offer no help. I believe in a reasonable allowance (my kids get $1 a week) but then again I am paying Bubba every time he doesn’t pee in his pullup at night. But then if he does, he owes me. Unfortunately he is now ahead. I think it is time to stop.
I do have to say, it pisses me off when the oldest says, before drying dishes, how much will you pay me…..or I will vaccum if you pay me. I think it is good to have expected chores.