Our oldest girl is turning 13 and receiving $60 a month doing routine chores on wkends- whole house vacuum, do her own and her little sister’s laundry, tidy her own room and rotate with an 11 yr old sis to clean their bathroom and all of them get to do folding sesh while watching netflix, take the trash out, walk and feed the dogs, etc. She can either pack her lunch and she also has a lunch acct at school which I put money on. My issue with her is being so overly giving and generous to a fault with her friends. I’d find out even if she brings lunch from home, she’s still charging lunch from the account telling me that her friend asked and felt sorry the friend forgot to bring. On Fridays after school or on minimum days or after sports practice, my van would easily be packed with friends wanting to eat out, get boba, starbucks, froyo, acai bowl you name it.. and all too sudden, around 2 or 3 friends “forgot” their wallet or they don’t have money so I would end up taking the tab that’s on top of my own 3 kids. I’d hate to think some kids feel entitled and know how to take advantage despite the fact that their parents give them allowance. I need to teach the value of establishing healthy boundaries as well WITH this whole financial management thing.
Once in a while its okay but if its all the time, it all adds up and definitely breaks the bank. I have way too many bills to pay and really cannot afford to be the boba fairy. I don’t even want to count the times when everyone just hangs out in my house with free reign and access to our ref and pantry. I even encouraged that just so I can personally meet my kid’s friends but man! ‍♀️

Just saw this and emailed it over! I am probably too late to be helpful!

Have they honored your wishes?

Agreed, haha… Well done Auntie ;)

Scavenger hunts & adventure days – yes!!!

I’d like that as an ADULT!! :)

Very impressive at 6! Took me like 3 years to finally get $100 for a Nintendo GAME BOY back in the day, haha… Which I ended up not even getting because I didn’t find it worth it by the time I had the money :) (And ironically years later picked one up for $20 at a yard sale – hah)

Hadn’t thought about it that way before… Have to marinate on that for a bit, thanks!

Oh damn!!!

Love that happy ending! And really seems like it was pretty happy throughout too as time progressed – very smart to do it in phases and slowly work your way up like that. I don’t know if I’m organized enough to mimic something like that, but I do like the overall concept and bet I could implement parts in my own way…

Saving this for the “ideas” list when we sit down to discuss it later (wife and I). So thanks!! And 100% right on the minimalist part. I gotta be better about implementing guidelines around that too for the kids.. Started a “one thing in, one thing out” rule towards the end of our yard sale season this summer and that’s had about a 50/50 success rate so far, haha… So work to be done still!

I think you’re right on that one – well done mom :)

As a parent who has too much crap in her 2 bedroom Chicago condo, I appreciate this strategy. This is what I keep asking for my son from my mom and sister.