It wasn’t until my son was seven years old that he asked for an allowance. His reasoning was to have his own money from him. He wanted to be able to save up for gum cards and two-dollar movie matinees with his best friend. He offered to do extra chores and promised to do all his chores and keep his room clean. I never said that I would not buy him those things, or that I would not invite him and his friend to see a movie. Apparently, he just wanted to carry money in his wallet that he earned himself. he was fine with me he made $5 a week and did a great job keeping his room clean, doing his homework and helping in the kitchen. He was great because I never had to tell him more than once to do something.

Teaching a child to be responsible is not always an easy task. But if they ask to be responsible and a little money too, then I’m all for it. As a single parent, it’s hard to dish out extra money. It may mean giving up something once a week that you would normally do for yourself. I gave up a Starbucks coffee. The $5 weekly allowance I gave my son for taking initiative paid off. He took pride in what he did and was able to buy his own gum cards and enjoy a movie with his friend. The good thing about giving him the allowance was that he remained responsible. As he grew older, the weekly allowance increased. It wasn’t long before he got his first job and paid his own way.

For some parents, this can be a difficult decision. Not every parent will be able to give every child a weekly allowance. If you are a parent who can give more than $5 a week, you may be wondering if you should. Of course, this is a decision for each household to determine individually. Sit down as a family and discuss together. Money doesn’t have to be a reward. Parents can be very creative when it comes to rewarding a child’s achievement. If they are doing their chores and chores, give them a list of at least three potential reward options. That way they don’t go crazy asking for the impossible.

Consider these creative ideas in place of a potluck, sleepovers, a skating party, or a trip to your favorite pizzeria with a few friends. Find your child’s passion and reward responsible behavior. Praise them for doing their chores and homework, especially if you didn’t have to ask them to do it. In the long run, they will learn to multitask and handle responsibility.