Larry, Curly Sue and Moe get an allowance each week, half their even-year ages in dollars. Larry will get an increase to $6 on his 12th birthday in April, Curly Sue got an increase to $4 on her 8th birthday in September and Moe will hold steady at $3 because he turns 7 next month.
I don't pay them to do chores. They get spending money because they're part of the family and they do chores because they're part of the family. Theoretically, it teaches them to manage their money and run a household. Realistically, it keeps them from nagging us to buy them stuff and us from having to pick up after them.
Starting yesterday, they each got a sheet on their clipboards outlining morning routine and chores and evening routine and chores. (In our house, the "I forgot" excuse has worn thin.) I awoke at 7 a.m. ready to do battle and prepared myself for a long, long day.
Instead, I was in the bed at 9:30 p.m. for prime reading time. Lessons were planned, clipboards were loaded, sixth-grade math was taught and corrected, dinner was cooked and dishes washed and outside was enjoyed for several hours. I had clean toilets, clean sinks, clean floors, clean children and clean laundry.
Long have I maintained that if five people live in home, one person should not be responsible for its sole care. Perhaps I am on to something. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.
