4 year old allowance... your opinions...?

Question

Has anyone ever gave an allowance at this age? If so what were your experiences? I'm considering doing it with my daughter and think it would allow her to buy her own toys she wants when we go to the store which would ultimately teach her about money and saving. The allowance would be small so it's not like I'm considering giving her like $10 a week or anything... and she'd have to earn it by keeping her room clean and what not... opinions?

Answer 1

I agree with JenJen75 thing like cleaning your room are just a part of being a family and part of your share of chores to be done not for allowance. My kids are 7 & 9 and still do not receive allowance. They do chores because we are a family and we all do our part. They can earn things they want by having extra good behavior, conquering a big fear, or being brave for a dr appt that is not the fun kind. More for an accomplishment not just for doing something they should to begin with.

When our kids really want something they have to earn half of it and then we usually pay the other half. They usually save up b-day money or do chores for their grandparents, and the grandparents set the wage not them. My daughter once told her grandma $5.00 a tumble weed, it was so funny I said for that price mommy will clean up grandma's tumble weeds, they are abundant in our area.

We are not grinch's or anything and we do something special at least every other payday like the local waterpark etc. or movies. I just know my kids have loads more than I ever did growing up and I want them to learn it is earned not expected.

Answer 2

I didn't give a cash allowance until my daughter was 6.  At 4, I had a sticker chart system.  There were 8 or so things on the chart and every time she did them, she got a small sticker in the square.  Each row had 10 squares. Once the 10 squares were filled for 1 thing, she would get some cool stickers to put in her sticker book.  Once the whole sheet was full she got to go to the store and pick out a book, toy, etc.  You decide.  Some things were like feeding the dog, helping cook, helping set the table, bringing down dirty clothes, sleeping in bed all night (problem for her), etc.  She loved the stickers and the chart gave her something she could follow along with.  At 6, she has a list of chores and can read them and can better understand saving up money for something special.

Answer 3

Personally, I wouldn't give an allowance to a 4 year old. My daughter is 3 1/2 and most of the time she likes helping around the house just to be helping mommy.

If you're wanting to teach her about money, you can still do that. I work with my daughter on the values of coins, bills, etc. You could teach your daughter that and then take her to the store and explain "This toy is $2. How many dollars would you need to buy this? How many quarters would it take to buy this?"

Answer 4

at four years old, they don't understand money.

Answer 5

i don't agree with giving allowance at all. I don't pay my children for doing chores I don't get paid for cooking, cleaning, washing clothes ect.... I feel that if you start paying them for doing stuff they they should do anyways that they will get use to it and expect payment for every little thing i ask them to do. I tell my kids that we are a family and it takes all of us to keep the family going and they understand that. They do ask for Money all the time but that's OK. I give them rewards for being good kids. there are other ways to teach the value of money, But I think at four years old she may be a little young. but if you want her to learn how to save. help her make a piggy bank and tell her whenever she sees pennies on the floor to pick them up and put them in the bank. my kids still do that. GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 6

What we are doing with my son (he is 5) is giving him a budget.  We felt like he was too young for an allowance, and getting him to do chores to earn it was like pulling teeth.  What we do is that he has 10.00 a week to spend.  We do not give him the money to carry around, we keep a journal so that he can see how he is spending it.  every time he spends money we write down what he bought and how much it was and show him how much money he has left.  Then at the end of the week if he has money left over, we just add the next weeks money to it.  If he wants a candy bar, a toy or anything else we tell him that is fine if he wants to spend his own money.  It really cuts down on the asking for things in the store and he is learning about money and that it just doesn't magically go on forever.  He has learned to save for what he really wants and also has learned that he can buy a couple of things that are small and still save money.  Of course we buy him treats every once and a while, but he appreciates them more now.

Answer 7

i would have 2 say maby

give her like 2 bucks a week 2 start

because at that age they dont relly no what money is and they could end up loseing it

Answer 8

I don't think it is a bad idea. I don't do it. I have four daughters 11,10,7,& 3  They start at age 5 with small chores. My husband and I disagree about under 5 not have any chores. I think there little for such a short time let them enjoy it. My older girls get extras for good grades. Were a family of six helping out with chores is just part of our family not a job. Again there is nothing wrong with allowances we just don't do it.

Answer 9

Way too early.  Why make them greedy at such a young age? Her job being in your family is to keep her room clean and do age appropriate jobs around the house (put the plates on the table for dinner, scrape her plate into the trash, etc).  Let her learn that not everything people do in their lives deserves a paycheck.  Life doesn't work that way.

Answer 10

I think that is way too young!  I understand you want to teach your child the value of a dollar but it could turn into something else.  She might feel like whatever good deed or help she gives brings money or some sort of an award.  I am totally for positive reinforcements but some cases like keeping your room clean and cleaning up your toys in the other rooms shouldn't be awarded.  To me it seems awards usually come from optional actions, and cleaning should be taught as a must and not "o wow you cleaned your room, here is $5!".  

I do think you should make a chart, maybe a monthly chart or weekly, and you and your daughter could keep track of her room, her moods (positive and negative), her help around the house.  Make it fun and have awards like speacial treat (icecream, candy, her favorite meal, or junk food for dinner) or take her to a special place as an award, makes good memories!

Answer 11

We give my little girl $4 a week and she is 4. I saw somewhere the best thing to do is give a dollar for every year old they are. My little girls has to help clean up after she eats and clean up her toys. It helps us alot bc when we go to town she does not ask for us to buy her toys she tells us she will have to bring her money next time.

Answer 12

I think that's a little too young.

Answer 13

well-

i was going to say that that was a little young, but after thinking about it. it's not that bad of an idea.

as long as you don't buy your daughter any toys (except on special occasions)

I think she has to keep her room clean, make her bed, put her dishes in the sink/dishwasher, clean any messes she may make & what not.

I would probably give her maybe $1-2/week.

& increase the amount as she gets older.

goodluck!

=]

EDIT:

I actually really love MJT's way.

I think you try that.

but- she still has to do the basics around the house.

Answer 14

I wouldn't give a child that young an allowance.  7 or 8 is more reasonable.

Answer 15

I think for that age you should make a chore list. (reasonable things for a 4 year old) and assign an amount for each thing. "25 cents for picking your toys up everyday" "50 cents for making bed" "25 cents for helping mommy sweep" etc.

Answer 16

I would just give her like $2.00 for each chore she does. Just have her do a few a week to start.

Answer 17

Well, I don't think she should use money, but you should teach her that. Maybe you should start with her doing her chores the whole week and every two weeks tell her to pick something from the *prize box.* All you need to do is get a shoe box decorate it with her and put little prizes in it, and when she does her chores let her pick out something from the prize box.

Hope I helped!

Answer 18

Excellent idea as long as you do a lot of educating to go with it. Work with her to plan a budget so she will see what she can and cannot do right away with the money she receives.

That was the way I did allowances with my kids, then if they wanted something special they could earn more by doing extra chores. But that was when they were a bit older.