For quite a while now our kiddos have been helping with the chores around the house, but only recently have they been given real responsibilities that they are expected to handle without parental intervention. About the same time that came about, they started getting paid for a handful of them, too. I was torn about paying them for things I felt they should just do because they are members of the family and should contribute to improving or maintaining their situation. However, there's a worthy argument to be made that you shouldn't fight the natural partnership of work and pay when this comes up. So allowances became a weekly thing, too.
To be honest, being able to remind a reluctant worker that no chores = no money has helped get a few things done and cut a few arguments short, but there was also a glaring gap in our process: how should they be managing that money once they earn it?
For a couple years now, we've just been having them use good old-fashioned piggy banks, but those piggy banks have kinda outlived their practicality and usefulness.
First, we realized they needed wallets.
Then, we realized they needed a way to track their spending, what they were saving for, and what they ultimately wanted to spend the money on.
Finally, we came up with a system- whiteboards.
Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
So now they both have one of these puppies on the back side of their bedroom doors, and I was shocked to see, for example, what Audrey put in the 'What I Have' column to start with (it was over $100 you guys), and what Henry wanted to start saving for (a pool), but we've had a lot of good conversations about budgeting and saving, and I think we're finally finding a rhythm that will help us balance those big kid issues- chores, allowance, and spending.
It's working for now, anyway!
No comments:
Post a Comment