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Should you pay your child to do chores? Why is an allowance given? Two seemingly simplistic questions. Yet for many families the debate continues to raise heated arguments on the subject.

There is the old-school view (my personal favorite),"A child should be given age appropriate chores to do on a regular basis." With this approach we are teaching our children that we (as a family)live,work and grow for all our benefit and as a member of our family you will do your part (chores)and contribute to the well being of our family. Responsibility is also learned by giving children chores.Paying a child for jobs that she should be doing anyways will only teach your children to think of themselves and 'What is in it for me?' That is a lesson that may well come back to haunt you as the child grows older. If a child grows up knowing that they are expected to help with the family house or yard work without any payment in return what real harm has been done? Absolutely none. That child will know that it takes every member of the family doing their part to run a home. Children who do chores grow up knowing how to do laundry, wash dishes and cook meals. Because as children they were expected to help and as parents we taught them how to do it right. Of course chores should be given with age and ability in mind. You wouldn't expect your three year old to walk the dog alone. Nor would you ask your teen aged child to hold the dustpan for you while you sweep the debris into it. If you ask any adult who was given a share of the household chores to do as they grew up if they should have been paid to do their chores, they will tell you of course not. To pay a child to do the things they should be doing will be teaching them that everything has a price. Later you will find that there are somethings that they will not do for any price and that you are paying them too much for what they are doing(if anything). The burden of keeping the house running smoothly will rest on you alone.

As for, "Why give children an allowance?" First off everyone likes to have a little bit of pocket money. Children are no different. They like having some money that they can manage on their own. I use the word MANAGE because if children are to be given an allowance they should be taught to "manage" their money. Why waist a perfect opportunity to teach a life's lesson? We want our child to grow up to be self-reliant, responsible and mature adults. Giving a child an allowance and then teaching them to

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