Should you Pay Kids for Chores? 10 Things To Consider

Should you pay kids for chores? – a guest post by Lisa Mitchell

 

 

Should you Pay Kids for Chores?

Many parents feel that children should perform chores without a monetary incentive because they are in a way being compensated by being provided with shelter, food, and clothing.

For people that subscribe to that school of thought that is perfectly fine, but there is a strong case that can be made for paying a child to do chores, it is an educational experience. Not every lesson a child learns in life comes out of a book.

The first thing to examine is if a child should be paid for all chores they perform and the answer (in my opinion) to that is no. Things like maintaining a clean room, making their bed, and insuring their dirty laundry both makes its way to the hamper and then is properly put away when clean is not the type of thing to reward.

That is something the should do on their own because they don’t want to be a slob. Likewise, helping with things like bringing in and putting away groceries, helping clear the dinner table and do the dishes when asked are also not really chores, they should be viewed as signs of gratitude.

 

Should you pay kids for chores? All the reason why you should

Chores which could be compensated for are things like taking care of making sure recyclables are separated from the regular garbage and that they are placed at the curb or point of pick-up on time each collection day. Helping maintain the property doing things like mowing the lawn, weeding flower beds, washing the family vehicles, or any task that one may normally pay someone else to perform are exactly the type of chores to compensate. The next step is looking at why this is a good idea.

From their youngest ages, children crave structure. They like to know there are things they can count on. Setting up a structure for your child to perform certain reasonable chores as young as you deem appropriate helps provide that structure. Monetizing it provides them with a tangible reward to work within that structure.

Even if all you are paying a child is maybe $5/week to perhaps be the “General Manager of In House Waste Disposal” (In charge of taking out the garbage- a fancy title can be fun for kids though), You are giving them their first lesson in the principles of being paid to work.

The child that has money they actually earned then has the ability to learn yet another lesson, the value of that money. When a child lives in a scenario in which they simply ask and receive, they often have no concept as to the time and effort that goes into earning the money that pays for the objects of their desire.

 

Understanding the value of money

Now when a child asks for a pack of gum for example, something they want but do not need, they can weigh whether that pack of gum that costs $1.50 is really worth it to them in relation to what they had to do to pay for it, and how that changes their ability to purchase other things. Learning how to weigh the pros and cons of a purchase and differentiate needs from wants is a great lesson to learn and definitely gives a child a good head start on the realities they will face later in life.

 

Chores vs reality

So long as paying your children to do chores is done so in a reasonable manner which reflects some semblance of reality it is a perfectly fine to do so. In many ways you are doing your child and yourself a favour. From first hand experience I can say that having a teenager that grew up under such a program is a blessing; she knows the value of dollar, appreciates and cares for the things she purchases, and does not make unreasonable requests for expensive items based on nothing more than the desire to be trendy.

The only way that paying a child to do chores can fail as a valuable learning lesson is if the teacher fails the pupil, not the other way around.

 

Why not to pay kids for chores

While some parents may choose to pay their kids for completing chores, there are also valid reasons for not using monetary rewards as a primary motivator. Here are five reasons why you might consider not paying kids for chores:

  1. Developing a sense of responsibility: Paying children for chores can undermine the development of intrinsic motivation and responsibility. When kids understand that certain tasks are part of their responsibilities as members of a household, they learn the importance of contributing without expecting immediate rewards.
  2. Fostering a work ethic: By not tying chores to monetary compensation, you can help instill a strong work ethic in your children. They learn that completing tasks and contributing to the family is a necessary part of life, regardless of financial gain.
  3. Promoting teamwork and cooperation: By emphasizing the importance of everyone pitching in to maintain a household, you promote a sense of teamwork and cooperation among family members. When children see chores as their contribution to the family’s well-being, they are more likely to work together and support one another.
  4. Encouraging intrinsic motivation: Paying for chores can shift the focus from the intrinsic value of the task to the extrinsic reward. It is important for children to learn that satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment can come from completing a task well, rather than solely from receiving payment.
  5. Teaching financial responsibility: Instead of paying children for chores, parents can consider teaching financial literacy through other means. For example, giving kids an allowance that is not directly tied to chores allows them to learn about budgeting, saving, and making thoughtful spending decisions separate from household responsibilities.

It’s worth noting that every family is unique, and what works for one may not work for another. The decision of whether or not to pay children for chores ultimately depends on your family’s values, goals, and dynamics.

 

What’s your opinion on this? Should you pay kids for chores?

 

 

Further reading

Teaching responsibility to kids

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