What is an appropriate allowance for this age?

franciscaz

Okay so I spoil my kids rotten  I'll admit it.  But I realize it is time Harmon earns his stuff (sans his birthday and Christmas gifts).  

So we got a chore chart and he is very excited.  He already does chores but we want him earning an allowance so he can buy stuff (like for 2 wks he has been begging for a Mator toy from Target).  There are 5 daily chores currently (as he gets older we will add or make them more difficult).

I'm thinking $1 a day for all chores being completed.  DH and my mother think I'm insane and 10 cents to 25 cents is more appropriate but at that rate it will take him like 6 months to earn the Mator toy and I worry he will lose interest b/c the gratification is too drawn out.   

WDYT?  What is a good allowance. 

KellyOsu23

I think chores and allowances for kids under 5 are silly

 

Hi Fran! Cupcakes getting so big!

franciscaz

Hi Kelly well I think you are just cute .  Your kids are sooo big and so beautiful!!!!  Are you going to be over here now?

Colsdoll

What about instead of a dollar amount  a specific amount of stickers allows him to choose a treat. Sort of like the rewards points on my credit card, lol. For example, maybe for 5 stickers you can go to DQ or hang in there for the long haul and for 25 stickers get the Mator toy. That way he's still "earning", he's still learning about trade offs but you're not stuck for $7 every single week and occasionally he can get a bigger item. 

Jinsy80

Nothing at all. *Maybe* $1 a week if you really want to, but $1 a day? No way. 

MomToMaia1

I honestly don't think of chores or allowance for 3 yo DD right now.  She "helps" me w/ her toy vacuum when I vacuum - - but we call it a vacuum party :-)

bim38106

I think a rewards chart, like Colsdoll mentioned, would be more appropriate for this age. And would probably be easier for you to manage as far as earning the "correct $ amount" for an item. Maybe you could give him coins and for every 10 coins he gets to pick out a small toy or save up to 20 and pick out a larger toy, etc... I'm just thinking of Kylie here, and the concept of money amounts would totally be over her head at this point. I'd probably start that in Kindergarten or 1st grade.

mabma80

Does he even understand what a dollar is for?  Like does he understand currency?  We never did allowances in my family.  You were "allowed" to live in the house, so you contribute to helping out.  I would do a sticker chart and after getting x amount of stickers, you can take him to the store and let him pick out a toy (or whatever) to match the accomplished deed.  That's kinda how our parents did it.   

 

Jaimers375

I never got an allowance as a child.  IMO, chores are expected, anything above and beyond can be rewarded.  At this age, I guess it depends on the chore.  DS puts his clothes in his hamper, clears his plate from the table, helps set the table, etc...really simple stuff, I don't want him to expect to get money for doing things that he's supposed to do.  As he gets older and wants to wash the car or something, then I'd pay him, otherwise, no.  If you want to do something, I agree with others that sticker chart would be a great way to go.  

n&bcarlson

Kids at this age don't understand the value of money, so earning an allowance doesn't mean anything to them and they aren't sophisticated enough in their thinking to make choices about spending or saving.  I have no problem with the idea of chores and a sticker chart.  Kids understand stickers.   The stickers can be their own reward, or result in a reward at the end of the week that he can understand, such as going to the store to choose a piece of candy or a little $1 toy. As for earning the Mater toy, you are right- he would lose interest well before he could "earn" the money.  I think the better approach would be to decide with your DH how often you want to buy special things like that outside birthday and Christmas, and then every so often get him something like that as a very special treat.  Other than that, at 3, kids can't really understand the meaning of money, but they can learn that you can't always get what you want- probably a more valuable lesson!  Save the allowance until your son is 5 or 6. 

franciscaz

He is starting to understand money a little and we want to teach him more.  I'm really big on the Love & Logic way of rearing kids.  Chores will always be expected but we want him to start learning to make choices when it comes to money and earning things.  You would be surprised how much he really does understand at this age and it is just a beginning.  This will be a life long learning process.

I liked the reward chart idea and I think we will go that way. He will earn Harmon dollars and he can choose what to do with his Harmon dollars with the reward chart.  5 Harmon dollars means a cupcake while 10 will mean a toy he has really wanted.   

jlw2505

I personally don't agree with paying your child to do chores.  Helping out around the house is simple expected of everyone who lives in the house.  If you want to give him an allowance to start teaching about money and letting him buy things he wants, etc, than just do it but don't tie to doing chores.  I do have to agree that $1 a day is a lot for a little kid.  Way back 20-25 year ago, my mom gave me $20 for 2 weeks as my allowance.  We give the girls 25 cents a week and they are thrilled to drop it into their piggy banks and never really ask about.  We have charts for each of them and they earn checkmarks and after a certain amount of marks, they earn a prize which is anything from going out for ice cream to a toy or a special time with us, picking an activity, etc.

northhillsbride

When my oldest was 3, he really wanted a new toy truck at Costco - I told him that if he had enough in his piggybank, we would get it. That weekend, I counted out all of the change (from $ his grandparents sent him in a holiday card, loose change from my wallet, etc.). I rolled the coins and he and I went to the bank and exchanged it for cash. Then onto the store and he picked out his truck and handed the cashier the money.

Several times after that, he would ask for a toy and I would remind him that there was no $ left in his bank. So we started with an allowance right then - he got $1/week if he brought his dish to the sink after meals (without being asked), "helped" us with things when we asked (get his new brother's pacifier for me), etc. We paid in quarters, so if he gave me a hard time one week, he would lose a quarter when he received his allowance.

He's now just over 4 and I know he "gets it." We were at TRU last week picking out Legos and he wanted an extra Lego truck; I told him he could get it with his piggybank $. It was $7. He immediately said yes, then asked me, "It's just one?" I reminded him that it was seven and he changed his mind and put it back on the shelf.

I think it's a great idea to start teaching earning; but I do think $1/day is a lot! (And I would be interested in hearing what the 5 daily chores are, as I can't think of that many for that age! lol)

Here's another tool for teaching money - a bank with 3 compartments for spending, saving and donations; there is also one with 4 compartments (adding an investing compartment). https://www.kiplinger.com/columns/drt/archive/2004/dt040205.html

northhillsbride

I should add, now that I have read all of the responses, that while I do agree that chores are expected to be done (I mean, I don't pay my son for cleaning up his dishes anymore), I think they need to evolve into more age-appropriate things. So now it is trying to "make" his bed, put his clothes in the hamper, etc. That will evolve into mowing the grass, etc. But I do believe that this will teach him to make decisions and suffer rewards or consequences.