When they get grades on their report cards or clean their rooms do you give them money or other types of rewards?
Im only asking because my parents did not and I was thinking about this if I had any children. They would give my brothers and I money for doing extra (raking leaves, cleaning baseboards, and etc) but anything other than that was a requirement.
What is your rule on this?
Anonymous
Favorite Answer
Nope. We do not believe in giving material rewards for behavior and things that are expected of them. In the real world, you don't get a prize for obeying the speed limit or abiding by the laws because it's expected of you and it's the moral/ethical thing to do.
But if my kids make the honor roll or do something without being told, I think that it's ok to give a pat on the back or treat them to a special meal. But if you mean rewarding in the since of buying them something like a toy or giving them money for good grades, then forget it. Allowance is one thing, but giving material rewards for everything makes for kids that grow up thinking that they must be rewarded for behavior that is expected of them.
Anonymous
I have a list of what they need to do and it changes as there age does.The list says put close in dirty wash=empty dish washer=pick up toys=feed dogs etc at the end of the week if all chores have been done with out being told then allowance is given = if I had to remind 2 times for any one chore then money is subtracted from allowance like 25 cents for each reminder up to 2 after that I say nothing and a dollar is lost.This helps make them responsible for there own money and getting there chores done,then its off to the 99cent store.Also 25 cents of every dollar goes into a bank that cannot be opened or counted.Oh also I am the grandmother they are 4 and 8 and live with us.
Michelle
Kids need to learn money management too. I think that giving them money for jobs well done is an excellent idea.
Stuff like cleaning up a room doesn't really deserve money. I think that is just doing your part around the house ... Nobody pays me to clean my room, so why would I pay my kid to clean hers?
Extra chores like volunteering to sweep the floor or clean the toilet definitely deserve a bonus! So do good grades ... School is a kid's equivalent to work. If we do a good job at work, us grownups get a good paycheck. I think that if kids do a good job at school - they should also be paid accordingly.
So to answer your question ... I do not reward my daughter for many things with money, simply because I cannot afford it right now. But we will celebrate good report cards with a trip to the park and doing extra chores around the house can be rewarded with a movie or extra playtime.
Hopefully next year I will be able to add money to our current reward system because as I said before - I think that learning money management is important.
Honey
My son gets an allowance every week so I guess you could say that I was rewarding him for things that I expect him to do anyway. My son isn't the type of kid to do extra things for money. Like, if he wants to buy a new game, rather than do extra chores for money, he waits until he has enough to buy it. He's not pressed for most things like some kids.
Oh, and my mother would NEVER give him money for doing extra chores. She never gave my two sisters and me anything for doing extra chores. We never even got an allowance. But, money was really tight for us back then. My husband and I are able to afford what we do for my son. My daughter is too little to reward her with anything.
Jaclyn
I think giving something for the grades on the report card is good. That way it gives them a reason to do good in school. Cleaning there room they have to do i think. Maybe something like getting to watch TV the rest of the night is okay... but i wouldn't pay them to clean there room.