Allowance Debate: Should Kids Receive Compensation for Everyday Tasks?

paying kids an allowance

Ah, the great allowance debate: To pay your kids or not to pay your kids for doing simple things that require being done around the house. We all have our opinions on this subject matter, and we all have a very good reason as to why we do or do not pay our children to do household tasks. I know this; I’m a mother. I have four kids – our oldest is 7, we have a daughter turning 5 next month and twins turning 2 next month. We do not pay our kids an allowance.

Why?

Easy; we don’t believe in paying our kids for doing things that are considered basic good etiquette, manners and cleanliness. I wouldn’t pay my daughter every single time she said “Please,” or “Thank you,” so I’m not paying her to put her dishes in the dishwasher when she’s finished with them. It’s call respect, and it’s a way of life; not a job.

We do not believe things that are basic manners deserve payment. We want our kids to keep their rooms clean, pick up after themselves and put their dishes in the sink when they are done because it’s how things stay clean and cleanliness is absolutely in no way an option – messy people, take note.

On that note, there are things that we might pay our kids to do that are outside the basic realm of good manners and basic cleanliness. If they want to earn a little money, we might pay them to pull weeds from the garden or clean out the garage or paint or something (obviously these things when they are older). Additionally, we do pay our kids to make good grades. Why? Because that’s their job.

Kids have only one job in life; to make good grades, to behave at school and to learn. That’s their job. They go every day, just as you might go to work every day. A good performance denotes payment for a job well done.

Do you pay your kids to do things that should be done regularly anyway that they will one day have to do every single day in adulthood, or do you take my stance on this one and require your kids do these things because they are a habit – a way of life? We’d love to know where you stand on the subject of paying children an allowance – does it teach financial responsibility or laziness?

Photo Credit – Getty Images

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