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There’s no universal answer on this topic. Some experts advocate for paying an allowance. Others say parents should pay their kids for individual chores.
Providing kids an allowance can give helpful teaching moments for managing money, lessons about finances, and introductions for topics like tithing or gratitude. There are several systems that you might consider for how you approach chores and allowances for your kids.
Here are few tips to keep in mind:
- One of your main goals as a parent should be to prepare your kids for the future. In college and beyond, they likely won’t be paid for chores that you might pay them for now.
- Introduce and establish guidelines for how their allowance will work and privileges or expectation .
- Also, look for compensating kids for chores that go beyond general expectations. For example, you might pay your kids when they do law care, babysit a younger sibling, or walk a neighbor’s dog.
Establishing a rhythm for chores can be an exciting and fun time for your family! I encourage you to be creative with your ideas that can include the whole family to build unity and healthy momentum. If you need more help with chores, check out our resources for overcoming the chore wars here.
