09 September 2014

Do You Give Rewards to Children?

I'm so bad.  I don't have a sticker-laden chore chart, or activity cards, or any such thing.  I'm so haphazard.  Just do what I say, ok?  When the laundry needs doing, it's just plain old laundry time.  You just feeeeel when it needs to be done.  (You get that feeling when there are only two clean pairs of underwear in your drawer, btw.)

Rose sorting laundry.
Some chores, I suppose, are more regular.  Every day, dinner happens.  But I'm not paying you if I ask you to help out.  I'm reasoning that "you get to eat," so it isn't even a fair trade when I ask you to help prepare your own food or clean up after yourself.

I suppose I should have a philosophy about chores.  I've been on some of the big-family websites and there is almost a theology to how chores ought to operate.  Well.  In some ways, there really is, as one person shouldn't always be the "taker" and so on.  But am I the only one who is too lazy to write up the chart and tally work hours and so forth? 

I also suppose I oughtta do the allowance thing... but I don't.  I do pay a little for vacuuming and other chores which rightfully ought to be mine, but I can no longer do.  I also pay for yardwork.

One thing I do shell out for?  Is little kids doing their schoolwork each week.  Woodjie gets about seven Pokemon cards each week and ohh... does he look forward to Friday afternoons!  He has an entire plastic ice cream bucket full of his earnings that he carries about with him to sort through and look at during his free time.

How about your family?  Do you give rewards for chores or for other great jobs?  


5 comments:

  1. I didn't give rewards for helping out, we didn't call it chores because that indicates a regular task done on a regular basis by the child and that wasn't what we did. They helped instead by taking their own plates to the sink, setting the table, making their own beds, putting away their clothes. When they were older, the three did the breakfast dishes while I got the baby ready for the walks to school and kindergarten. I'd buy them a treat once a week when the grocery shopping had been done, something like doughnuts or lollies to be shared after dinner or for afternoon tea, that sort of thing. I believe this taught them that housework is a shared responsibility that keeps the household running smoothly. I tried the pocket money thing a few times (not ofr helping out), but it always fizzled out because there just wasn't enough spare cash to be giving out.

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    1. I like the idea of special treats at the grocery store. Truth to tell, we all know you are spending the money anyway, but it gives some control to the kids on what they want. :)

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  2. No rewards here. I ask the kids to do some jobs around the house, and they do it. No questions, no expectations. They know that they should help out, so they do.

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    Replies
    1. Brylee and Griffin are really growing up! I hope they are truly doing well under the surface, too. It's too bad you have so many trolls because I should like to hear more about how they are doing and their hobbies and so forth.

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  3. Well, we have always given Ben an allowance. That way, when he said he wanted something, all we had to do is say, "Okay, but you are paying for it." Kinda took the desire for it right off his mind.

    Believe it or not, the kid is chintzy now....saves most of his money.

    He's pretty good about doing chores. I always offer to do them for him for $5 or whatever. Works every time.

    What was the question?

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Non-troll comments always welcome! :)

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