Paying kids for chores is a highly debated topic. In today’s article, we are trying to help parents make an informed decision as to whether or not to pay their kids to do chores. Should children be paid to do chores?
Although the one thing I have learned as a parent of more than two kids is that no one method yields the best results.
You may have started with what is generally accepted as the right method, but over time, your kid gets bored and starts to revolt or compliance becomes slow.
Although this topic comes with lots of confusing opinions and judgments, you still have to try to make a decision that is comfortable and acceptable in your home. Getting your child to perform chores is a very important habit of raising a responsible child
Should children be paid to do chores?
Here are some pros and cons of paying your children to do chores.
Let’s start with the pros.
Children can easily learn how to work for money
Paying for chores is definitely a way of teaching your child to connect earning money to “work” by using some of their time while putting energy to achieve something.
Some homes have had success with this form of chore system because it helped their children imbibe the habit of working for money at an early age instead of depending solely on their parents.
Paying for chores may produce immediate results
You may be certain of getting immediate results when you pay your children to do chores. As with everyone, money is a great motivator that produces immediate results.
If you are overwhelmed with the process of making kids do chores, you can pay them to get immediate relief.
This system can also help you Institute a no-nagging policy, which means, you don’t get paid when you nag about the chores before starting. This is also a good way to curb the habit of nagging your children.
It can serve well as a form of punishment; “No chores” “No pay”
This could be the fastest method to serve out punishment…if they do not do the chores, you don’t get to pay them…as simple as that, yet…maybe not!
This could backfire and bring up a situation where your child is comfortable not earning money in 1 week or 2 weeks and that will leave your house messy/dirty and you alone to do the whole chores.
So should children be paid for chores?
Let’s look at some cons
Your kid might start expecting to be rewarded for everything
When you pay your children to do chores, over time, they develop the habit of expecting a reward for everything, including good behaviour.
You have to deal with the constant expectations “what will you give me, if I do this or that”
Definitely heartbreaking.
Paying children for chores will not internalise the habit
Ordinarily, your child should imbibe the habit of wanting to do chores with or without motivation. It should be an internal habit that they learn to clean after themselves and be accountable.
When you pay your kids to do chores, they won’t naturally imbibe the habit of cleaning up after themselves, they would have already formed the habit of doing it for money rewards.
Staying alone, living with others, living with a spouse, or having their own kids in the future becomes an insurmountable challenge.
Your child might start to value their time over money
If you set up a system where you dish out some form of rewards for chores, then, you should be prepared when your child decides the reward is no longer something they want.
They can easily start requesting for more or a different form of reward entirely that you may not be able to afford.
You may have to deal with a messy and disorganised teen, teenager or adult
We tend to be naturally disorganised and messy if we don’t imbibe the habit of simple personal hygiene.
A child should consider putting on only clean clothes, that means, they should be willing to wash their own clothes.
When you pay kids to do chores none of this will come naturally to them.
You want to raise kids who understand that the chores they do, are for themselves and they’re not necessarily doing you a favour by doing them.
If you already use a payment system for chores in your household, you can try a few tweaks here and there to make the process still viable.
Parenting Hack: Learn A-Z of how to pay kids for chores.
Try the hybrid approach
This method is good when you’re trying to build natural housekeeping habits in your children.
The process is to re-introduce chores to kids as “family duties” which means, each person in the family has a particular duty they must perform without pay.
You can quickly refrain the term from “chores” to “personal family responsibilities”
Check out these colourful printable chore cards for kids. Click here.
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You can grab our very own Self-Esteem and Confidence journal for kids. Complete a few pages each day.
References:
Money Prodigy: SHOULD KIDS GET PAID TO DO CHORES? PROS AND CONS (WITH VIDEO) Link Here
Dr. Michelle DeRamus, Should Children Be Paid for Doing Chores? Link Here
IMPORTANT: to ensure you get the kids involved with age-appropriate chores
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