We took the kids out to the movies Friday on Daddy’s day off.  We went to the “dollar” theater which is now $2.00 a person. Parker and Jonah were still free. 

Captivated

Oblivious

We paid for the movie, but the kids took some of their money they had earned for their commission this week.  We don’t give an allowance but use Dave’s ideas that the kids earn money for chores and good behavior.  They must tithe 10% and then they put half in savings in their piggy banks and they may spend the other half.  They start on Sunday with the following amounts : Foster $7.00; Katie $6.00; Theodore $4.00 and Parker gets a quarter to put in his bank so he doesn’t feel left out.

They can get fines through the week (from .10 – .25) for multiple prompts, breaking house rules, bad attitudes, etc.  They are able to earn a .25 bonus if they can say our memory verse for the week. 

Foster and Katie used their commission after the movie to play a couple of video games and air hockey.  Theodore bought a huge box of M&M’s (which took all his money) before the movie started. This outing offered many “educational” moments dealing with getting change, how many quarters to play a game, what happens when you put your money in and the game just doesn’t work, and finally, bartering. Theodore offered to give Katie some M&M’s for .50 so that he could play a game. 

Our kids aren’t just handed money any time they ask.  However, we want them to learn how to give, save and spend.  We want them to know the joy of tithing, the joy of buying a gift for a friend, the pain of losing money or paying for repairs of something they have broken.  We want money to be REAL for them, not some abstract thing.  So we decided a commission for the work they do would be a good way to do that.  (Along with the birthday money they receive from relatives.) 

Anyone over 4 years old in our home is put to work.  We try to instill from an early age that as a family, we are a team.  If asked to clean up toys, I don’t need to know who made the mess or who cleaned it up last time.  I expect them to clean up the toys even if they haven’t played in that room. That’s part of working together and taking care of each other.  They wipe the kitchen table, sweep, empty small trashcans, sort and put away laundry, put clean dishes away and load the dishwasher, carry in groceries, carry out the bags of trash to the outside trashcan, clean up toys, vacuum, and anything else they are big enough to do.  They are a huge help, but more than that, they are more cognizant of the messes they make. They are able to feel a confidence and a belonging that comes from feeling needed and a part of a team. 

I do not feel like parents are doing their kids any favors if they don’t give them family responsibilities, if they wait on them hand and foot because they want them to be able to just “be kids.” Our society has created some selfish, lazy humans compared to past generations who had to help milk the cows, scoop manure, work in the garden, etc. 

Better get off this soapbox for now…..