Each week, our council of experts and smart parents take your questions, give advice and share solutions in this parenting column. This feature will also be the place to drop in for a talk about the latest parenting hot topic.
So grab a cup of coffee and settle in as we start the conversation today with a few questions:
Should children be given allowance? How often, how much and what are the terms, if yes? What does this do for children?
Please comment in the box below, and check Norton Patch every Wednesday at 1 p.m. for this segment.
Tom Golota
8:15 am on Saturday, August 6, 2011
In some households, an allowance is just weekly spending money. However, I feel that an allowance should be earned by doing chores around the house. The chores have to be age appropriate (you cannot ask a 3 yr. old to take out the trash) and there are plenty around the house. Chores in our house are: Emptying the dishwasher, doing the dishes after a meal, folding laundry, picking up the house, vacuuming, bringing the trash barrel back from the curb, etc. If they don't do the chores, they don't get paid. The hardest part is making sure they did what they were supposed to. We have used a chores chart. It has all the chores listed on it and they get a check mark for those completed and at the end of the week they get paid accordingly. They must put some of it in the bank and the rest they can spend on things they want. We feel that this creates a good work ethic for the future and teaches the value of money.