Pocket Money
A couple of months back, whilst we were on a School Trip, Dan Jon was chatting with some of the other students in his year and somehow the subject got on to pocket money, how much each child got and what they were expected to do chore wise for the money they got. I should have, as the grown-up walking with these children shut that conversation right down. Instead, I found it interesting and so was listening quite intently to what was being said I just didn't find it as interesting as Dan Jon who was listening even more intently than I was.
When we walked home that evening, Dan Jon raised the subject with me, because in our house, we don't do pocket money. We don't get paid for doing chores.
Instead, we do chores because we are all responsible for the home we live in. Then when they need something, we buy it, or we give them £20 to go to the cinema (well Top Ender gets that) or if they see something they would like we consider decided together if we should buy it.
Dan Jon explained that he thought if he kept up his regular chores but in addition to those undertook a couple of extra chores, he thought that I might be able to give him a small allowance each week. Dan Jon really had put a lot of thought into this, he'd considered what the other children did, the amount they got and priced himself fairly in the market for the chores he did and I was going to get the "extra chores" for free.
Flyfour and I spoke and we agreed that we had it in the budget that we could start to give both the children pocket money for the chores they did, but we were going to give them the option of sticking with the current plan.
They could decide what seemed to them like the best deal to them.
Top Ender quite wisely decided to stick with the current plan, I guess she worked out the cost of her music books, cinema trips, Costa habit and other bits and pieces would cost her more in the long run if she had to pick up the bill, but Dan Jon realised that he was actually not doing as well out of the current deal as Top Ender, seeing as how he has no weekly expenses, or need for sheet music or even a Costa habit, so he opted for the pocket money.
It really was a wise choice for him.
When we walked home that evening, Dan Jon raised the subject with me, because in our house, we don't do pocket money. We don't get paid for doing chores.
Instead, we do chores because we are all responsible for the home we live in. Then when they need something, we buy it, or we give them £20 to go to the cinema (well Top Ender gets that) or if they see something they would like we consider decided together if we should buy it.
Dan Jon explained that he thought if he kept up his regular chores but in addition to those undertook a couple of extra chores, he thought that I might be able to give him a small allowance each week. Dan Jon really had put a lot of thought into this, he'd considered what the other children did, the amount they got and priced himself fairly in the market for the chores he did and I was going to get the "extra chores" for free.
Flyfour and I spoke and we agreed that we had it in the budget that we could start to give both the children pocket money for the chores they did, but we were going to give them the option of sticking with the current plan.
They could decide what seemed to them like the best deal to them.
Top Ender quite wisely decided to stick with the current plan, I guess she worked out the cost of her music books, cinema trips, Costa habit and other bits and pieces would cost her more in the long run if she had to pick up the bill, but Dan Jon realised that he was actually not doing as well out of the current deal as Top Ender, seeing as how he has no weekly expenses, or need for sheet music or even a Costa habit, so he opted for the pocket money.
It really was a wise choice for him.