Don't pay your kids to do chores! 🛑
I've been thinking a lot about a big parenting question while working on an app: Should we give kids money to clean their room or empty the dishwasher? Many parents (and I, of course) and experts believe that paying kids teaches them about "work," but I'm concerned that it may make them feel entitled and alter the way the family operates.
The issue I had to deal with was "What's in it for me?" Trap 💸
I figured out that paying my kids to clean their room is a bad idea because it teaches them that they can skip the cleaning if they don't get paid. Adults have to clean up their own messes in real life! 🤷♂️
When you pay kids for basic chores, they stop asking "How do I help the family community?" and start asking "What's in it for me?" Research supports this assertion, as it fosters entitlement by prioritizing the child's needs over those of the family community.
My answer is to teach kids about money and responsibility separately.
I think that the two lessons (Money Management and Family Responsibility) should be completely different:
An allowance is money you get to learn how to manage your money.
Doing chores helps you learn about cleanliness and being part of a community.
I chose to use a Gamified Virtual Economy (XP, Levels, and Coins) in @Kvestify to give people a reason to contribute without making money off of it. My app keeps kids interested by letting them level up and see their progress. It teaches them to "clean for the sake of cleaning" instead of for the money.
What Is Your Family's Money?
How did you teach your kids that giving is a duty, not a business deal?
Did you find a non-monetary currency (like my game points) that works better than cash to help you build that important habit? I'd love to know what your family thinks about philosophy! 👇
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