Should kids get paid for doing chores? Yish’s Two Cents

At Kit, our point of view is that paying for chores can work, but not in all circumstances. Here are our tips: 

• Never make an expectation optional.
  If you have chores you expect your children to do as being part of the household, you should not make them optional by putting an individual price on them. In the Kit app, parents can create ‘Required jobs’ for Payday. These jobs don’t have an individual price, they’re a way for kids to track the chores that are required of them. Completion of all these jobs is required to earn their regular pocket money amount (e.g. $10 per week), or parents can nominate a different amount on PayDay.  

• If you do pay for individual chores, make them for “above and beyond” jobs.
  For example, washing the car, or bigger tasks they wouldn’t ordinarily be expected to do. This is a good way to give kids who want to earn more (e.g. because they are working towards a goal) the opportunity to do so. In the Kit app, we call this ‘Earn per job’.  

• Chores are not the only way for children to learn that you need to work to earn money.
  There are many great lessons for children to learn in starting their own ‘business’ offering services like gardening, walking dogs, or running errands for neighbours. What supplies might they need? How will they promote their business and find customers? With a bit of encouragement (and adult supervision as needed), you can help to bring out the young entrepreneur in your little go-getter.