Should you force your young kids to work for money?would it be cruel?illegal?

Question

Is it wrong to teach your Kids of earn money for their own personal hobbies and extracurricular activities from a very early age from like 7 years old and up...That the only way they get an allowance is if they help around the house..for instance they get a Dollar for each chore they do..

Like walking the dog,Racking the leaves,cleaning the table,folding clothing,un packing groceries,taking out the garbage and other chores like that.Their weekly allowance would vary anywhere from $0 dollars to $30 dollars depending how much they did.No chores! No Money!

Should you force your young kids to work for money?would it be cruel?illegal?

Answer 1

Chores and stuff are good but my God, let them be kids.

Answer 2

This is a great way to teach your kids the value of a dollar. It's not illegal because you are not reporting it to the tax authority nor are you paying hourly wages.

Answer 3

I think force was the wrong wors used here. It's not wrong to teach your kids that they have to earn their cash, also keeping in mind that if they ask you for something important, like lunch money, you should give it to them. The world outside is a hard place, and if they are taught from now to earn their money, they will have a better value of it and not go spending it all in one go like a mad person.

Usually when children find that they are being rewarded for doing their chores, they do it with less complain, and more zeal. Maybe you can still give your kids a small allowance, but no extra money that they would use for something like, say, spending a day at the arcade. And don't make it hard for them because then they will not want to do their chores. Chores are something that every kid should be doing, and if it earns them a little extra cash, then it couldn't be illegal. Plus the chores listed are easy chores and not hard labor.

Answer 4

No it is not wrong to teach kids that they need to work for money. Having children is expensive, and now a days school seems more like part fashion show, clothes, shoes, all are expensive, especially when kids want to match trends. I think teaching kids at a young age to work for what they want promotes good habits as they get older. They will earn what it means to use their money on certain things, and have a better understanding as to why Mom and Dad can't buy them the world. No it would not be cruel or illegal. There are some things kids should do to help around the house that they should not get paid for as well, to help with the house hold.  

Answer 5

Is this a trick question?

My kids live in my household. The household doesn't run itself, and I can't afford servants.

Someone has to cut the grass, cook the meals, do the laundry, clean the pool, take care of the pets, clean the house, mop the floors, clean the toilets, make the beds, do household repairs, replace the air filters, mend the fence, clean the garage, and all of the other countless chores that have to be done to make a household  into a home. And, oh yes, someone has to work to earn money to pay the mortgage and the utilities and the car payments and the phone bills, and the college payments and the insurance and the groceries, and buy the clothes and the cable and and and and and...

So, you live in a household don't you? Your parents give you a place to stay, feed you, buy you clothes, the computer you're typing on right now, the cable TV, your medical, etc. etc. AND they pay you to do the things that have to be done around the house?

Lucky for you they're your parents and not me. I expect my kids to do chores because they're members of this household. They get paid the same thing I get paid for doing chores - they get to live here.

Cruel? Puhleeeeez.

Answer 6

I believe it's a personal preference really.  If you want to do that with your kids then that's on you.  I think it would help them to realize you have to work for money and it doesn't just grow on trees.  But I wouldn't say you should pay them for every little chore they do.  

Answer 7

Nope.  It's teaching responsibility and if they want money, they need to work for it instead of holding out their hands and say "gimme."  Obviously don't make them pay rent, groceries, or their clothing, tell them if tehy want money for things they want, or to go out with friends they need to work for luxuries.

Answer 8

d**n right, is all i have to say.

Answer 9

Your d**n skippy, I would make them work for money. They need to learn that in life you should work hard and in return be compensated for that work in return. You don't work for free! I would have them do age appropiate chores, at they age they should be able to do things like dusting. My parents told me my bedroom is my responsibility and for that I didn't get paid but when it came to things like dusting, mopping, cleaning the bathroom (when I was a teenager) I would be paid for that. I think its good to teach children the value of the dollar in return they will learn that for as hard as you work for money it should not be spent in a hurry. I would also encourge them to save a portion of the money, maybe quarter of every dollar so they understand that value too.

Answer 10

There's no forcing in your example. The kid WANTS to pursue this hobby, therefore they should WANT to work for it. It's not like you're saying, "If you want to eat, work!" That would be forcing.

Answer 11

um i see no problem with that my dad did that for us and im a hard worker thanks to him

Answer 12

absolutely not cruel or illegal it prepares them for life everybody has to work for there money spoiled kids who have never had to have a hard time with working for them self's and not having everything handed to them  

Answer 13

children should be taught the value of money so i agree to paying my kids for certain chores but they also have daily chores they must do every day for nothing as this teaches them Independence i don't want my 2 boys leaving the house total mummy's boys who cant do anything for themselves !!!!!!! plus why should i have to brake my back doing everything  

Answer 14

sigh reminds me of my childhood. we were not a poor family but our mother made us work like a dog the day we turned 6 and then it begins "SWEEP THE FLOOR IS $2.00"  WASH THE TOILET AND IT'S $6.00" FEED THE FREAKIN' DOG AND ITS $4.00"

sigh......

Answer 15

If you sent them out to work then yes, it would be illegal but your idea is certainly not cruel or illegal!

I don't think 7 is too young as long as it isn't constant but all they're doing is earning their pocket money and lots of families do it this way, I remember having to help out around the house as a kid. This idea is good as it teaches the value of money and good morals, it also builds life skills that they will need later on (I know some people that can't do things that come easy as an adult b/c they were never taught as kids).

I would say set his allowance to a certain amount, say $25, which is given once a week, say on a Friday and set a certain amount of chores each week, they stick to them all and they got their money to look forward to, they don't then they don't get it. The tasks you list are perfectly reasonable for a 7 yr old I'm sure you could think of more. I'll definitely be doing something like this when my sons a bit older and requires pocket money!