Allowance-What Is a Good Age?

Our children get paid every two weeks when my husband gets paid. We pay them 1/2 their age every two weeks. So, basically $1 for each year of their life. To get paid my children has daily chores and weekly chores that has to be done prior to anything else, especially playing with friends. Once everything is done, then they are free to do what they want to do. Once they get paid, they are required to pay first to tithing, second 20% to savings and the rest is theirs to spend however they feel. To understand, the daily chores are very simple but are required. For example, my children are required daily to make their beds prior to school, fold their pajamas and put them away. Also,they are required to clean up after themselves. Each night prior to bed, their bedroom floors must be picked up and straigtend as well as the house. Lastly, they have had to praciced their piano, which is one of their daily chores. Simple tasks, but ones that teach responsibility. My kids have one large job each day, which is part of their weekly jobs. At the most I try to not have it take longer than 1/2 hour because I know they are busy after school and kids needs to unwind and do their other responsibilities with school, scouts, gymnastics, piano etc. Also, they need time to be with other kids, so I make sure their responsibilities (weekly job) doesn't take too long but at the same time teaching them how to do different tasks at home I see needing done. As my children get older, I am able to teach them new things which some look forward while others don't because they are stuck with other tasks until they reach the older age to try the new things.

I have heard it said $1 per age is a good amount to give a kid. For example, if your child is 9, that child gets $9.00.

It is true that we don't get paid for doing chores around the house. However, children don't have any other way to earn money.

What I have done for my children is they have to clean their own rooms. They don't get paid for that, it is simply a responsiblity.

Something else to keep in mind...if you do decide to give your kids an allowance, let them buy the smaller things you usually buy them...maybe drinks, candy bars, ect. With summer coming they can use their own money for the things they may want.

As a stay at home parent, I feel that I do get paid. My husband works hard that I can stay home, I don't sit on my backside and do nothing. No I work very hard at my end, cleaning the house, cooking, teaching my kids values, etc. So, I feel that my husband's money is our money...which means if I need something (and we can afford it) than I go get it. So unless you don't buy anything for yourself, essentially your husband is paying you to stay home and clean! I was looking on line for something to help with my kids (and I can't tell you where I found the idea), but essentially, I created a job chart on a spreadsheet. I put points to each job and that equals pennies. So to make their bed each day they get 1 cent per day. I pay at the beginning of the week. They get a max of 5 cents, like for unloading the dishwasher, cleaning their assigned rooms, practicing the piano etc. I also have a spot that if they hit, fight, lie, etc. than I take away 10 cents (as I have zero tolerance for those things). They usually get about $2.00 a week. But I also have them put 10% to our church and 10% into savings (minimum, they can put more if they want). Then if they want to play with friends or watch TV they pay me for the privilege, as I don't really care for those happenings. If you are interested in seeing my spreadsheet, let me know and I can email it to you privately.
Good luck

you have some good advice coming in. In our house my children have found joy and responsibility when I started asking them to be in charge of certain things in the home. They do it because it's part of living in a home. I give them a modest allowance every Saturday no matter what, (To give them an opportunity to learn money management) but they can pay others to do their chores, they can also earn more by doing chores that are above and beyond their regular chores, (i.e. emptying the dishwasher, cleaning room, keeping toy room neat). "Parenting with Love and Logic" is the model I use for chores and I love it!! My children do chores with very little complaining and a lot of joy! They also get really happy when they get their allowance so they can save and get the toys they want. I also get the chance, when they ask for things at the store, to say, "Yes, you can have that! Do you have enough money?" I'm no longer the bad guy, and they are highly motivated to earn more money and save their allowance.
Good luck,
N.

So it's not ok to pay your 9 yr old, but it is for the 5 yr old? Interesting.
The way we do it in our house is that each child from 5 yrs on gets 1/2 their age per week. They get paid each month and they pay tithing first and then they can decide what to do with the rest. They have been asking us to put their money in the bank and my 9 yr. old currently has $190 and wants to buy an Ipod. They are learning about saving and spending. Sometimes they are just in spending mode and spend it all. Other times they save like crazy. They are learning that they don't get everything they want at the store and they need to bring their own money or ask us to get $ out of the ATM before we go shopping or they don't get anything. (Maybe gum or something if they're good). Kids need to learn about delayed gratification. We don't attach this money to jobs. They each have a list of jobs according to their ages that they are in charge of. They have been asking lately about doing extra jobs for money and we will pick harder jobs like clean the garage, etc. and do an inspection before payment. I bought a great book at Deseret Book with a boy cleaning a toilet on the front. I can't remember the name and it's on loan right now, but it has an 18 yr plan for kids and all they should know at each age, starting at 3 yrs., to be successful out on their own. I really like it. Anyway, we also use the Speed Cleaning method and the kids are learning the value of work and that it must be done before play. I hope this helps.