piggy banks
#1 is in need of money. He has certain lego sets that he feels he just has to have. He recently used almost all his piggy bank money to buy an Exo-force lego robot dude. Now his fund are low. In fact he should have no money at all. For some reason this week, he dared his sister, #2, to drink apple juice with ketchup in it. He said he'd give her all the money is his piggy bank if she was brave enough to do it. I heard this proposition and I questioned him on it. #1 said, "I really mean it, I will give her all my money." Like any smart kid would do, she drank it. Later they both forgot about the wager. So, yesterday he came up to me and asked me to help him count all the money in his pig, I reminded him of what he told is sister and that all of his money now belonged to her. Tears welled up in his eyes. Mommy, "I really want to buy a $10 batman lego set". He has almost half the money saved up. I told him to go talk with his sister and maybe she'd let him keep some of it. BAD IDEA! He smoothed talked her into keeping only his pennies and letting him have all the rest. Poor girl she fell for the scam completely. The final result was a long lecture about integrity, when you give someone your "word" you stick to it. #2 was gracious enough to agree to only take half of his money. She was thrilled, #1 was upset yet relieved at the same time. Now he is just begging me to do chores so he can earn some fast cash. I haven't implemented a chore chart or allowances, I guess now is the time.
side note: Just read how the experts say not to link chores with allowances. Chores should be done regardless of an award. My kids do "chores" even though they have not chart to list them on and mark them off. I am not a good list maker any way. Hmmm. I have never paid them for chores, I just divide extra change we have around the house between all the kids. What works for you?
posted by terrible speller at 2:47 PM
12 Comments:
I wrote a couple posts in July regarding allowances, if you get a chance check out some of the comments on my page. I thought they were really good. We do have a chore chart (pretty simple: divided up as morning chores and night chores), but they get an allowance seperate from chores. We also give them some money to give at church. I think getting an allowance is a good idea to teach them how to manage their money.
Loved the apple juice and ketchup thing. Yuck!
3:45 PM
Great lesson to learn.
What we do in our house is there are certain chores that are expected (make bed, take trash out, unload dishwasher, etc..). But if they want to earn some money they are welcome to come to me and ask for additional chores (sweep the walkway, clean our the patio, etc...) and for thoes they get paid.
I have a friend that takes little post it notes and puts additonal chores and the amt paid for doing them on the refrig. and whoever takes the post it note and completes the tasks gets paid the said amt.
Blessings,
4:48 PM
Love the ideas. We pay out for learning and trying "new" chores I need help with but haven't been able to train anyone to do yet also. (Dishwasher, sweeping, etc.)
Works pretty well, and help me with "my" load. I don't pay them for carrying their own load.
9:21 PM
I am in the midst of teaching my 2 kidlets about chores and money saving, more so for behaviour probs with K2 ie not listening to me etc. I have started a "happy face chart" where both kidlets get a happy face for certain things like doing as they are told, keeping a clean bedroom etc. If they have 5 unhappy faces for the day, then they don't receive any reward (which is 20 cents a day - yeah I'm cheap lol). but I have explained that they are to save their money in their piggy banks so they can buy a special treat at the end of the year. So far it's working. It took a good week before they received a reward.
ps for the moment (or perhaps for good) I have a new blog http://my-world-mum2.blogspot.com
6:36 AM
i just lock my kids in the basement after they are done doing everything I ask them. They are only 2 and a week old, but the older one is getting better at mowing the lawn!
11:21 AM
I started making the mistake of giving Matt money for doing things around the house (making his bed, bringing up the garbage cans, etc). I regret it because he looks for a reward in everything instead of doing it out of RESPONSIBILITY. Our new rule is we expect certain things to be done without reward : making his bed, clearing the table, putting toys away...every day things. But when he puts in the extra effort in a project such as yard work or anything outside the "responsibility box", we do give an allowance.
3:37 PM
Paging TS .. where are you ??? .. hope all is well .. miss reading your daily posts !!!
Teeny
6:21 PM
The best thing I've read (but don't yet do) is this:
The kids have a list of chores, and they have a set allowance. No matter what, they always get paid the allowance.
Should there be any infractions during the week--misbehavior or failure to perform a task--the child is fined (fines are pre-set values).
This teaches the child that their chores are linked to the community and required, but when they bring harm to the family, they must have consequences. The fines collected benefit the whole.
It's like a salary, with the fines akin to library fines, speeding tickets, and the like. It's supposed to avoid the thinking that chores= money, while teaching that disobedience= consequences.
The fine money is saved and the whole family gets to do stuff with it--get ice cream, buy a game, etc.
11:00 PM
something is all fishy about your blog. it's not loading the template. Is this lightning related?
11:33 AM
The kids do chores every day - but if they do something above and beyond that I ask them too, then I pay them sometimes.
12:39 AM
I love and miss you too. Keep calling me! H
6:41 PM
I gave my two cents on Wendy's blog. I miss you!
9:48 PM
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