Ben saw Torr the Therizinosaurus in our local Sainsburys a couple of weeks ago – it was on offer but having just had his birthday we weren’t about to treat him to it and dropped the “Christmas” bomb and said he would need to remember it to add to his list (yes I said that to him in August – am I setting myself up for several months of nightmare? Quite possibly.)
I fully expected Ben to forget about this toy moments after leaving the store . . . not so. Several weeks later and he’s still talking about asking Father Christmas for “the dinosaur that turns into a car” – I decided that 4 months is probably quite a long time to make him wait for this so put the suggestion to him that maybe he could use his own pennies to buy it, he liked this idea and we set about counting up the contents of his money box.
Now his money box basically contains money he has been “left by Grandad Joe” or the odd coin he has found lying around the house or we’ve given him from the change in the shops etc. I knew perfectly well that there wouldn’t be much money in there but we totted it up anyway.  A whole £3.  Quite a long way off his £10 target (assuming the toy was still on offer when we went back for it – RRP is acutally £13.99)  We talked about ways he could save up more money including doing little jobs for Mummy and Daddy around the house.
So this got me to thinking. Â What jobs should I be expecting my little people to do anyway, just as part of helping out at home? What jobs might be considered “over and above” and therefore worth earning a few pence (by which I’m talking literally 20p or 50p). Â In suggesting I pay him to help me do things am I setting him up to think he will always be “paid” for the jobs he does in the house and shouldn’t be bothered to help otherwise or am I teaching him the basics of a work ethic in that if he wants something badly enough he has to put the effort in to get it . . .
On the whole I expect Ben and Chloe to:
* Put their clothes in the washing basket at the end of the day
* Chloe sets the table (this usually goes so far as sharing the forks out)
* They clear their own pots from the dining table into the kitchen and will sometimes wipe the table for me.
* They have to put their toys away in the right place at the end of the day (or risk anything left out being put in the cupboard)
* They put their own shoes back in the drawer and their coats on the stairs
I think this small list of tasks helps them to be involved in keeping the house tidy and gives them some responsibility e.g. if Ben can’t find his shoes it’s his own fault for not putting them back in the right place. Â I often explain to Ben that he needs to help me do things so that I’ve got more time to play, he knows I don’t want to spend my day tidying up after him when we could be sharing a book or playing a game together, he realises it’s in his own interests to help me get things done quicker.
Ben is actually really good at helping out, fetching things for Chloe’s nappy change, putting things in the bin for us, taking things upstairs, helping to put the groceries away – Chlo is often less keen to help, though she does like the mop!
As it turned out Ben was very lucky and on a surprise visit from Aunty Nic he told her about this special “dinosaur which turned into a car” and she treated him to it – Aunty’s prerogative!!
So – do your children do jobs around the house? Do you pay them? Â I’d love to know how this works in your house!
I always try to make Emmy tidy her toys away…if she gets them out its only fair to put them away.
Grandad gives her a pound every time he visits and this does mount up.
When we have day trips out she takes her money for arcades or rides.
I always make Gracie tidy away her toys although she isn't keen on tidying! If Zach sees her putting things away he will try and join in he's not even one and he's better at it 😉 Gracie gets money from her great Nanny and her Grandad when they visit she saves it for day trips or holidays we go away in a few weeks and she has two money boxes full! We will take a bit out and put in a purse for her and limit her to so much each day x
I remember my parents doing the same 🙂
Our two monkeys help to set the table, tidy their toys, often offer to help unload the dishwasher and load the washing machine, pass the pegs when I hang the washing out, help daddy hoover the car etc. They are 5 and 2.5, but to be honest the eldest does most of these unenforced 'jobs'. He gets 50p for helping as and when and uses his money for the same as Ben. If he see's something he wants, he has to use his pennies!
My two are a bit too young at the moments. But i have been thinking on how to do it when my eldest is a bit older (she is 3 at the minute). But that is what i am thinking, should i give her money when she does things in the house or not. I think no because she will think she will get money every time she does something and i dont want the to be a habit. Maybe i will do it if she does a big job with me, but i think i will do reward chart maybe with her, and when she gets too a certain point then she can earn a bit of money 🙂 x
Occasionally my eldest two will set the table or sweep up but their main jobs are to put their clean washing away, tidy their rooms and taking it in turns to help tidy the lounge each night after hurricane Toddler has gone to bed.
My eldest will do the odd few jobs around the house – but never without being asked – I'm working on that. To be honest our 2 year old is obsessed with picking up toys and tidying – 'all cleeeen now!' she shouts! x
Bless her! Long may that last for you!
I do have a post on the importance of children helping around the house. I don't pay them for doing it as I feel that I don't get paid for doing and they wont when they are older – if that makes sense. We all did bits because we are all helping one another. Saying that as my boys are so good they are generally very spoilt
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I have now bought things they are asking for Christmas and will keep them that long though. I'm pinning this to my dinosaur board.
I totally get where you're coming from – I think its such a fine line! If only we did get paid for housework 😉
Toby isn't old enough to help yet but when I was a kid, my brother and I had to set and clear the table, wash up after dinner, tidy our rooms, change the bedding – of course we didn't do everything when we were really little but from being about 6 and 8 we did all that. We only got extra money for things like washing the car or mowing the lawn. I think that's the route we'll take – no money for everyday jobs only for the extras.