Dear Housewife:
Is it ok to tie allowance amounts to chores?
– Allowance for chores
Dear Allowance for Chores:
In our household, the Jones’s definition of allowance is “we allow you to live and bathe at our 24-hour-all-you-can -eat buffet—for free!” Needless to say, Eve and Solomon receive an “allowance” everyday! We do not have a monetary allowance system. We do give financial rewards for a job well done at report card time. I’m reluctant to tie allowance to chores because it of the incorrect message that it potentially sends; “I’m paying you to function as a responsible member of our family.” Chores reinforce the idea that our family is a team and that we must care for our home and one another. We must work together for the good of the family unit and not be self-centered. Chores teach children the idea of serving without expecting anything in return. Chores also prepare our children to live as responsible adults, keeping a clean and orderly home. I would only tie allowance to chores if the chore is above the child’s normal responsibility, e.g., painting the fence, etc. I would be more inclined to tie chores to privileges and not allowance. However, if the allowance is a “privilege” then it should be withheld along with other privileges if chores and other expectations are not met.
Featured Illustration by Jim McHugh. Piggybank photo © Can Stock Photo Inc.
