What are your thoughts on children doing chores and also getting related pocket money?

[MadreInglese]

DD is 10 and by her age I'm fairly sure my brother and I had regular chores to do round the house. She does do odd things and help me & DP when asked but I'm thinking about giving her something that is hers to do without prompting.

I'm thinking also of upping her pocket money a little but making it related to doing things, but I'm not sure whether to use just normal tasks or additional ones, IYSWIM. Do I award pocket money if she makes her bed and puts her clean clothes away and gets her school bag ready the night before (things I would expect anyway) or instead for things like helping in the kitchen or cleaning. Also, I'm considering just giving her, say a third of the money regardless and having her earn the rest.

What do you think? Is this too mean? I think it will do her good to start learning about earning but not sure if this is too harsh.

Would appreciate any advice/comments.

[kitbit]

I think we will be going for a two tiered approach: jobs that are "his" already such as making bed, washing in basket, clearing table etc are expected. However extras such as weeding the garden, putting out rubbish, cleaning windows (or whatever) have tarifs.

But a basic wage supplemented by bonuses... sounds like a good idea to me

[Aniyan]

ds(8) gets his pocket money on Saturday morning when (and only when) his bedroom is tidy - proper tidy, not just things-shoved-in-cupboards-tidy.

He has a few light-weight jobs to do around the house but they are not linked to pocket money - I just expect him to help out. He has sometimes done extra jobs (weeding, for example) to earn extra money for something specific he's saving up for.

I'm currently wondering whether we expect enough of him re: helping round the house so will watch this thread with interest!

[MadreInglese]

She just seems to be at the stage where she does nothing unless she's asked to, but I thought maybe something like having a tick list for her to mark off each extra thing might be incentive for her to do it without nagging, but I don't want it all to become too regimented.

I'm an eldest (of a few) and I had to do plenty of chores as a child (well it seems like that in my memory) and I'm very independant and able. My sister on the other hand (youngest) hardly ever had to do anything and she is painfully lazy sometimes and I have no idea how she'll cope if she ever moves out!

[WowOoo]

Think it sounds like a fab idea. We do this and since starting she's been so eager to please again!

She'll only get her basic pay if all/most jobs done. She gets tips (depending how generous/tired I am feeling!) for other jobs and really using her initiative to help.

Of course I have to remind her constantly about checking the list and what she is saving up for....!

[MadreInglese]

Wowooo sounds like it's working for you then.

Having something to save up for is a good idea too.

[pagwatch]

I guess we do what works.
My DS has chores. He gets pocket money. The two are not related.
But we do pay him if he babysits for us

[TeeBee]

My mum used to write out a job list, detailing what jobs had what tariff. You could then choose how much and what you did. I thought it was great at the time - and I do still love making the bathroom sink nice and shiney - I just don't get 20p for it (obviously a long time ago!).

[CatMandu]

dd1 aged 9 gets an extra 50p a week if she puts her clothes away in theory, but most of the time I get sick of seeing a pile of clothes that i've -recluctantly- lovingly washed outside her room.

Sometimes she asks if she can do a job and negotiates a price, for example she wanted £1 so I said that if she stripped the three dc's beds herself and helped me to put clean covers on the cash was hers. She agreed to this about 10 days ago and hasn't bothered.

I think I need a better system.

[bikerunski]

Worked for me and my siblings, starting with stuff like laying the table when we were little, building up to washing the car, fecthing the paper from the shop and a little grocery shopping to full on cleaning when we were teenagers. We didn't get a penny without earning it. We also fined for bad behaviour and swearing.

[HeinzSight]

we have a 'jobs' chart, each day my boys (11 and 9) have to complete homework, make lunches, empty dishwasher etc. On Saturdays they have to tidy their rooms.

I think it teaches them the value of money, also, Dad goes out to work to get money etc.

The downside is whenever I ask them to do any extra jobs for me, DS2 seems to want to be paid! I quickly remind him about all the jobs I do and would he like to pay me for them !

[Jux]

When I was a kid we had no chores as such, and were given pocket money regardless of anything else, though it wasn't very much.

However, we were expected to help in absolutely every way, if (and as soon as) asked. "Help me chop the veg/make the beds/change this fuse/fix the roof" etc etc etc. My grandmother lived with us, and would pay my brothers to wash her car, but I had to wash up for her for nothing; didn't scar me though.