Teens'�� Chores: What Are They Worth?

For Women & Co. by Lisa Kaplan Gordon,
07/22/2013






All year, we give and give and give to our kids. Teens, with their growing sense of independence, are looking for ways to make some money. So when they help around the house during summer break, should they get paid?

"��Chores" - ��they were an unpaid fact of life when I was a kid. But that was then. A recent British survey found that alarmingly few U.K. teens (arguably not unlike American teens) perform household chores. Most kids age 11 to 16 have never loaded a washing machine, ironed clothes, or shopped for groceries; 30% have never cooked a meal.
Is Paying for Chores a Good Idea?

Some parents pay kids for chores via a weekly allowance, or on a chore-by-chore basis. They reason that adult labor is rewarded with a weekly paycheck so kid-work should be compensated, too. These wages instill a work ethic and teach money management, a skill we all need to be successful adults.

Other parents gag at the thought of paying their little freeloaders for work that keeps the family afloat. In return for free room and board, not to mention designer jeans and video games, teens are expected to pitch in. When these teens grow up, their roommates or spouses won’t pay them for performing their fair share of housework'- lesson it�'s best they learn young.





Avoid gender stereotyping: Your son should know how to load a dishwasher.



In my house, we pay only for work that goes above and beyond routine chores. When our 17-year-old son vacuums his room, he gets zilch; when he weeds my out-of-control garden, I pay him $5 per bag of green debris.

The NASP Center (National Association of School Psychologists) lists the following as “appropriate chores for teens:

--Eating & Food Preparation: planning meals, including budgeting and shopping; cooking/food preparation; setting and clearing the table; serving and clean-up.

--House Cleaning: cleaning their own room; other public areas the teen uses, especially the bathroom. This includes straightening up after using the space as well as regular periodic cleaning (dusting, vacuuming, etc.).

--Laundry: Sorting for color and cleaning requirements; washing and drying clothes without shrinking them; folding and putting away.

--House Maintenance: yardwork; housepainting; simple home
maintenance and repair; car maintenance (wash/wax, change tire, change oil and filter).

Making Chores Fun (Yeah, right!)

Paying your child is probably a lot easier than persuading him or her to do a little work around the house. Here are some tips that may help reduce eye-rolling and increase teen compliance.

1.Make a list of must-do chores and let your kids take turns choosing. They'll feel more empowered and invested if they think their chore was their idea.

2.Don’t pay too much for above-and-beyond chores. Figure out how much you’d pay an adult for the same work, then apply a hefty family discount.

3.Avoid gender stereotyping: Your son is just as capable of loading a dishwasher as your daughter.

4.Demonstrate—once!—how you want the chore done, then lower your expectations. Teen chores aren’t about perfection; they’re about participation.

5.Set a chore deadline, sometime later than '��Now!' Then plan on offering a few friendly reminders.

6.Every worker performs better with praise. When your teen completes the chore, offer kudos for a job well done. He’ll appreciate the praise much more than he’ll let on.





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Mummy CeriseRose,
Paying kids, teens for house chores isnt a good idea.
All that the parents does for their kids are enough (buying clothes, taking care off them materially & financially are more than paying them for chores).

I do the laundry, ironed the clothes, wash the dishes, clean the house, keep both toilet & bathroom clean. I'm not that good at kitchen chores (like preparing meal), Its boring and I don't get paid in doing house chores.

we didn't get allowance in our home either, you just pulled your share as part of the family unit,,,period,

not only wasn't there compensation for doing so,, there were CONSEQUENCES for NOT DOING SO...

NOT paying a teen, or for that matter a younger child (chores should start at the youngest level possible even if it means re-arranging or separating safe "tools" from not safe), for learning skills they need for independence and holding a job which includes doing, and redoing chores they don't particularly enjoy is part of parenting not exploitation.

Giving a child an allowance, that is solely for treats and toys, or as a reward for chores, good behavior, or because it makes a parent feel less "bothered" for money misses the whole concept of an allowance being practice for budgeting/managing funds.

Or having some choices in the purchases that are made for them. Purchases, such as needed cosmetics, room furnishings, school supplies, or later car expenses. My kids learned by not only making choices but by using coupons, wise shopping, and sometimes buying the practical rather than the popular their budgets balanced.

Paying for chores to be done is counter productive to bonding the child to family and home. You make a teen a independent paid employee you are devaluing their contribution as being a replaceable maid or janitor not the ownership of a family team member. Acknowledging that doing chores is love made visible is essential but it should be with affection and praise and in some cases just expectation that is what families do.

Teaching a child that family skills can carry over to their first jobs outside of the family can be a little motivation to learn things they will need to be helpful or later more independent but should not be the only motivation for do them or make them feel you are just trying to get them ready to push out of the family. Re-enforcing that their help, suggestions, and choices make it a family home not just your home less work for you will foster a lot of enthusiasm and co-operation. Example Food preparation is a boring chore day in day out but having say in menu planning and being thanked for the comfort of having supper on the table in front of another person especially their friends helps the flow of things. Having a kid's contribution at family meal being a featured dish or specialty will make them pride and accomplishment and more importantly valued and loved.

When I was a youth...my brothers and I had reasonable chores.
Allowances were given as a love offering.
We never wanted for anything.
Dad knew what we'd like to have before we had time to yearn.
Got my legs spanked once for not washing the dishes(my chore).

I do pity parents in the US & UK.We are getting a lot of that brazenly spoilt brat syndrome in Africa not too,with all these quick rich parents.Working children in the house is discipline.Any payment should be meager if at all.Responsibility is enhanced through chores being a non negotiable option.parenting is tougher when a home lacks unspoken rules being a norm.

When I became an older teen Dad would take me shopping to buy my clothes.

Though we were not rich, my friends would tease me for having 'expensive' clothing.

I wanted trendy fashions like theirs and his taste was more upscale.

That's when we had our first difference of opinion.

I knew as long as he made the cash He was going to shop for me.

So I got a job baby sitting, selling various catalog products, and sewed for a lot of people.

I was happy, being able to purchase things I wanted.

He kept a roof over our heads, loved us, and provided the main essentials.

But the chores and skills he and my Mom taught us prepared us to give ourselves to the service of others
and to earn money for things we didn't dare challenge him to buy.