It wasn’t until my son turned seven that he asked for an allowance. His reasoning was to have his own money from him. He wanted to be able to save up for gum cards and two-dollar movie matinees with his best friend. He offered to do extra chores and promised to do all of his chores and keep his room clean. I never said I wouldn’t buy him those things, or invite him and his friend to a movie. Apparently, he just wanted to carry money in his wallet that he earned himself. he was fine with me he made $5 a week and did a great job keeping his room clean, doing his homework and helping out in the kitchen. He was great because I never had to tell him to do anything more than once.

Teaching a child to be responsible is not always an easy task. But if they ask to be responsible and a little money too, then I agree. As a single parent, it’s hard to dole out extra cash. It may mean giving up something once a week that you would normally do for yourself. I gave up a coffee from Starbucks. The $5 weekly allowance I gave my son for taking initiative was worth it. He took pride in what he did and was able to buy his own gum cards and enjoy a movie with his friend. The good thing about giving him the allowance was that he remained responsible. As he grew older, the weekly allowance increased. It wasn’t long before he had his first job and paid his own way.

For some parents, this can be a difficult decision. Not all parents will be able to give each child a weekly allowance. If you’re a parent who can give more than $5 a week, you may be wondering if you should. Of course, this is a decision that each household must determine individually. Sit down as a family and discuss together. Money doesn’t have to be a reward. Parents can be very creative when it comes to rewarding a child’s accomplishments. If they are doing their chores and homework, give them a list of at least three potential reward options. That way they don’t go crazy asking for the impossible.

Consider these creative ideas in place of an allowance, sleepovers, a skating party, or a trip to your favorite pizzeria with a few friends. Find your child’s passion and reward responsible behavior. Praise them for doing their chores and homework, especially if you didn’t have to ask them to do it. In the long run, they will learn to multitask and handle responsibility.