Why We Don’t Give Our Kids An Allowance

Is this the longest week ever or what? I was sick this past weekend, so I feel like I’m playing catch up with everything. It reminded me why I refuse to pack my schedule with tons of activities and why I like to keep things simple around here. The other day I was listening to a podcast about overwhelmed moms, and the host mentioned how kids can be compensated to alleviate some of the household tasks. It got me thinking about how we handle things in our own home, so today I’m sharing why we don’t give out kids an allowance.

Why We Don’t Give Our Kids An Allowance

We believe everyone should chip in.

We don’t compensate our kids for chores. There have been a few times that I have offered my kids money to help out with specific tasks. However, these jobs are always out of the norm and time consuming. If I’m having a rough week and need extra help, I want my kids to help out with no strings attached. I want them to learn how to serve others without expecting something in return. I know several families that pay their kids for their chores and it works out great. I just know that in our home it wouldn’t work. My kids would be totally fine with earning nothing if it meant they could give up doing dishes. 😉

We don’t owe them anything.

My job as a parent is to raise and nurture my children. I don’t owe them $5 per week just for the sake of it. And in the real world, no one is going to hand them money each week “just because”. I want my kids to understand that money is valuable, but it’s not everything. We prefer to treat them to a movie or alone time with mom and dad instead of handing them cash. We are also fairly generous on their birthdays and Christmas, so they’re certainly not deprived. In the end, I much rather help them understand finances and prepare them to manage their money in the real world.

We give them opportunities to earn money.

Although we don’t do allowances, we do give our kids the opportunity to earn cash. My husband owns a barber shop, so my husband has offered our teen daughter the opportunity to earn cash for cleaning the shop. I’ve also hired my kids to help me with tasks that allow me to run my blog. This gives them the chance to earn money for the things they want. Currently, my oldest is working a part-time job outside the home for extra cash.

I don’t believe there is a right or wrong way when it comes to this topic. I think that every family should evaluate what works for them and it’s definitely not my place to tell anyone what will work. I simply share our stance since we’re not the norm and I’ve been asked why we choose not do it.

Do you give your kids an allowance? If so, how much? I’m curious to hear your thoughts on this topic!