Sue, I heard the other day that the two should be kept seperate. They can get weekly pocket money as being part of the family and they have responsibilities and chores as part of the family. They shouldn't necessarily be linked.
Parents don't get paid for running a household so I suppose kids shouldn't either. However if it's extra jobs such as washing a car etc then they can earn extra pocket money for that. Just not for everyday jobs as such.
Hope that makes sense....
My 3 year old(almost 4) helps in what she can, she can't stand mess(something that she got from me) she also feeds her hamster and her puppy, she also cleans her room in what she can, she can fold her clothes and she loves helping me with the dishes.
I also have stepdaughter she's 9(almost 10) she comes from February to July and she stays in our house for those 6 months, she really helps around the house, keeping her room clean, she helps me with Rory and as she says she gives DH time to rest when she's here
I grew up in a very sexist household. From a young age I had to watch my mum do everything (she was a SAHM) and my dad sit on his arse and call out demands, that passed on to me and i think from about 14 i was helping my mum run the household because she had to start working (i was helping out before that with vacumning, washing...and stuff like that). All the while doing that my brother had 1 chore, the dishwasher and more often than not i had to do it. From about 17 (mum started working full time) i was basically running the household for them, all washing, cleaning and cooking was done by me.
the thing is, I moved out of home at 22 knowing how to do everything! My DP had everything done for him at home, so he knew next to nothing and MIL said we would never survive (she didn't realise that i was running my parents house for them), and she was very surprised how well we did! I think it was the best thing my parents ever did having me do all the chores...I know my SIL really struggles to get my brother to do anything around the house (:twisted: i say my parents gave me the good habits). I also know someone that is about to move out of home who is older than me who doesn't know how to boil an egg.
I'm so happy that i had to do all that stuff because it really helped set me up for when I moved out of home, in fact living out of home was easier than living at my parents because i had a smaller house to run, my mum was the one who struggled because she lost her live in house cleaner, cook. I used to go back on the weekends to help her clean because i felt sorry for her. I know when i have kids i will probably give them chores (maybe not as many as i had), but i think its a great experience for them, i'll just make sure its fair for boys and girls (i wouldn't want my future DIL to be stuck with someone like my brother lol).
Sorry i just wanted to put my two cents in. I think chores for kids is a great idea!
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