by Kimberly Cleckenr

Created on: February 08, 2011   Last Updated: February 09, 2011

Many parents today bribe their children to help around the house with chores. The most popular bribes among children include either money or new toys. Bribery is not one of the best ways to get children to do chores around the house. If children learn at a young age that they always have to be bribed to do something, it will be very hard for them to get through life. This is just not how the real world works for anyone.

If bribes are always used for chores, a child will soon choose to never help if they are not given something in return. Typically, with a bribe, the briber feels guilty to ask on such terms and the one being bribed usually does not want to do what is being asked of them. The act of bribery may only lead to hard feelings between both involved. The parent bribing will not believe this is the only way to get their children to help and the child will continue accepting bribes in order to get things he or she wants. 

An allowance or even a new video games is sometimes offered to children for doing weekly chores but is seen as more of a reward and not a bribery. If it is decided that a child can earn an allowance, it must be made very clear that this is a reward and not considered a briber. Their allowance is something that has to be worked for and earned. If an allowance is used in return for the completion of chores instead of bribery, children will learn responsibility and what it takes to keep a household running.

A child should learn that a family must work together to keep up household chores; not just one person can do everything alone. if parents are making the income and cooking all the meals, it seems very reasonable for children to set the dinner table, put away laundry, vacuum, etc. Of course children can only be responsible for the chores that are most age appropriate for them. Washing clothes and cleaning bathrooms are just two chores that need to be saved for older children. 

My son, now age 13, has been working for allowance for the past couple of years. My other children, ages 8 and 3, are not given this opportunity yet. I do not bribe my son to do his chores; it is all up to him as to whether or not he wants to earn his allowance. If he does everything that is asked of him, then he earns this allowance at the end of th week. If not everything is done; then no allowance is earned. No offering or accepting of bribery. 

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