How responsible are your kids
Do you give your kids jobs to do at home in order to earn some extra money, for their basic pocket money or just well because they live ther and you expect them to help?
My kids both have small jobs to do. He sorts the laundry and brings it downstairs for me. He is 7. She holds the dustpan when I sweep. She is 4. They both make their beds and they both do a basic room tidy each night before bed. They do moan but they do it. Am I too strict?
Worn out with working!!!
Photo credit Downing Amanda
So how responsible are your kids?
?My view is that is important children value and take care of things that are around them and being part of the upkeep of something always means you take better care of something. Basically if you have invested in something it takes on a more precious quality.
I want them to respect thier belongings and our home and take some responsibility towards it. I think this will help them in the future. Don’t get me wrong they fight me on this, whinge ehine and complain. Well for a bit, then after a while it becomes habit, I use lots of praise and positive feedback, snacks after chores. I really show how appreciated it is too.
In regard to money I help them budget and plan and if they want to buy something I help them work out if they have enough, what this will mean to them later in the month and if is good value. No I don’t want them to grow up too quickly but I do want them to be responsible.
Valuing money
I want them to value money. I do very much want them to be debt free and with a good savings plan. I know how much easier it makes life. I know how much happier people are without debt.
I know too many grown ups who can’t keep their home without a cleaner they can barely afford. I know too many grown ups who unthinkingly buy whatever they want, whenever they want not because they need something but just becasue they desire it, I want better for my kids. I want them to ‘take care’ and look after what they have. I want them to be responsible and sensible and considered.
At the moment if my son drops something in the car he has a horrid habit of leaving it there. All his car stuff is now in a bag. When he helpos me clean the car he can have it back. What is sad is that he hasn’t even realised he is missing all this stuff. Perhaps that is the problem kids just have so much these days. I would certainly have known if I had lost a book, or a game or a moshi monster!
Do you work on responsibility with your children? Am I teaching them to grow up too soon? What do you think?
How responsible are your kids?
Youre so right… children also wont respect you if they dont have to respect your house. I tell my kids that (like my mother told me)… that this is their home but its my house, the product of my hard work and they must repect it and me.
As they are part of the family I expect them to contrebute whether its makeing their bed, keepin their room tidy, watching their little sister while im up a ladder etc. Although my children are only 8, 6 and 3 for me its important these lessons (like respect, hard work, patience, sharing etc) and more practical ones (like bed making, drying dishes, looking after a younger sibling, looking after/helping an elder, sweeping/ dusting) are tought to them as soon as they can comprehend them.
Even if its your one year old helping you move laundry from the hamper into the washer.
I dont pay my kids to contribute to the family home I expect them to do it because thats part of the ‘family business’ and thats just how we run it. Its not that I dont give sweets, treats and good old family time to them, I just want them to learn theres some things you JUST do, theres jobs you do for money, there are jobs you do for kindness sake and there are good things you EARN for hard your work.
Saying all that… it may all go to pot in 10 years when theyre teen agers… cross fingers.
Does all that make me sound mean?
Yes I do give them stuff to do to ‘earn’ pocketmoney! They each have a daily job and they ‘clean’ / tidy their room weekly. They are very good at doing them too and understand if they dont they don’t get paid!! I think it is a great life lesson to learn at any age although my 2 are 11 and 13 yo. I also have M.E and they are generally very helpful around the house because of that ( without payment!).