Your child is finally old enough to start helping out around the house! This is an exciting time for any parent, but it brings up an important question: should kids get paid for chores? Paying children for doing chores might seem silly at first. After all, they live in your house and eat for free! That said, there are plenty of benefits that come from paying (with money or with other rewards) your child for their tasks. We’re here to talk about it. Keep reading to learn all about paying your child for chores.
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Benefits of Paying Children for Chores
So why would you want to pay children for chores? Shouldn’t you be encouraging them to take care of their responsibilities without a need for a reward? While your children will, eventually, have to do chores for the sake of doing them, starting with a reward system is a great way to encourage them to build those skills and develop a routine. Here are a few great benefits of paying your children for doing chores around the house.Â
Read more: Free Printable Chore Charts with Pictures
Teaching Responsibility
Children aren’t born knowing how to be responsible. Some children, especially neurodivergent children, need extra encouragement to do the things that they need to do.
When you pay your child to do chores, you’re helping them build important skills and develop responsibility. Money (or whatever your reward is) is positive reinforcement. Children will continue having to do chores for the rest of their lives, but associating responsibility with something positive will set them on the right track early on.
Read more: Setting Up a Reward System for Kids
Teaching Consequences
When it comes to cleaning, natural consequences don’t always work for children. A child may not care if they sleep in an unmade bed or if their floor is covered with toys. They don’t feel upset or embarrassed about a messy space (for better or for worse).
When you’re paying your child for doing chores, you’re also creating a consequence for not doing chores. You’re not punishing the child or taking something away from them; you’re just not giving it to them in the first place. Children learn quickly that not having money for the things that they want will inconvenience them. It’s a natural consequence of their behavior and they’ll have to adjust their actions.Â
Should Kids Get Paid for Chores? Teaching the Value of Money
So, should kids get paid for chores when it comes to teaching them the value of money? Paying your child for their efforts can be a valuable lesson in money management. Initially, your little one might spend their hard-earned cash right after they complete a task, like buying a piece of candy for a dollar. However, they’ll soon realize it’s not sustainable when they find a $10 toy they want but don’t have enough saved up for it.
This natural consequence helps your child develop self-control and learns to set aside money for future use, making the question “Should kids get paid for chores?” more compelling. This is particularly beneficial for children with ADHD, who might have a harder time grasping the concept of planning for the future. Overall, paying your child for chores can be an effective way to educate them on the importance of responsible money management and saving.
Read more: Create Chore Chart for Kids With ADHD or Autism That Work
Encouraging Your Child to Stick To a Routine
When your child does their chores every week, they’ll be rewarded for them! What better way to encourage them to stick to their schedule?
Children thrive when they have structure, so providing a routine for your child will keep them focused and on task. Should kids get paid for chores? When they get paid for going through their routine, they’ll develop the discipline to stick to it.
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How to Pay Your Child for Chores
So with all of this in mind, how can you start paying your child for chores? Getting started can be the hardest part! You have to explain to this tiny person that they now have to take care of tasks (but that they’ll get rewarded for them).
Here are a few tips for starting a chore routine with your child and rewarding them for it.
Pick Age-Appropriate Chores
Make sure that you’re picking chores that your child can do. You don’t want your child to get discouraged when they’re unable to earn money or rewards because the task is too difficult for them.
Should kids get paid for chores? Children can start doing chores from the time they’re toddlers, but you need to remember your individual child’s motor skills and attention span. If money motivates your kiddo, try using it as a reward. Try doing chores around the house with your child and see what interests them.Â
Use a Chore Chart
Once you’ve created a list of age-appropriate chores, a great way to organize and track them is by creating a chore chart. It’s a good idea to have both a physical and a digital chart, especially when it comes to older kids.
Put the physical chart somewhere visible and accessible to your child. You can even use stickers to mark off completed chores for a fun touch! Keep in mind that children have a limited attention span, so try to allocate small amounts of time for daily chores. Aim for a series of manageable tasks rather than one challenging chore that takes too much time. If your little one needs help breaking down chores into smaller steps or a checklist, Goally can be an excellent resource for organizing chores effectively.
Use Goally to Schedule Chores
Looking for some visual support to help teach your kiddo how to complete their chores independently? Try Goally! With our visual schedule app, you can create personalized routines to guide your kiddo step-by-step through any task. Our distraction-free tablet will make sure your kiddo stays on task, and you can even monitor their progress right from your phone! Everything in Goally is easily customizable through the parent app. Asking yourself, should your kids get paid for chores? Try adding money as a reward for completing their routines in Goally!
You never have to take your child’s device out of their hands to make changes. If you want them to cut back on screen time, you can set time limits on the games or remove them completely. With Goally, the learning possibilities are endless.
Track Chore Rewards
Make sure that you’re paying attention when your child completes a chore! You should do your best to reward them right away, or let them earn points toward a reward (it can be cash, a trip, a special activity, etc.)
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Does your child need some extra guidance on building essential life skills? Goally’s skill building tablet for kids includes a TV app that has the most robust video library of skills training videos for kids. Ranging from content like “How to Brush Your Teeth” to “How to Make Friends at School,” we have dozens of interactive video lessons for kids with thinking and learning differences.
HERE’s a video explaining how to works.
When you use a digital tool like Goally, you can reward your child for completing their routine and even give them extra rewards when they work faster or harder than you expected. This encourages them to continue improving. You can use a point system to represent the money that they’ve earned and allow them to “cash out” when they’re ready to spend it.Â
So Should Kids Get Paid for Chores? Yes!
If you’ve been wondering “Should kids get paid for chores”, what do you think now? By rewarding your child for doing their chores, you’re teaching them about responsibility, consequences, money management, and more. You’re helping them build important skills that they’re going to need for the rest of their life! We want to help you set up a schedule and reward system for your child. With Goally, you can create a chore routine and even reward your child with points right in the app! Your child can see their money accumulate in real-time. We know you’ll love it.
FAQs About Kids Getting Paid For Chores
Should kids get paid for chores to learn money management? Yes, paying kids for chores can teach them about money management, responsibility, and saving for future needs. How can you keep track of chores for kids? Create a chore chart, both physical and digital, to help them organize tasks and track their progress. What tools can help in breaking down chores for kids? Goally is an excellent resource for organizing chores into individual steps or checklists, making it easier for kids to complete tasks. How should chores be scheduled for kids with limited attention spans? Allocate small amounts of time for daily chores and focus on a series of manageable tasks rather than one long, challenging chore. What are some fun ways to mark off completed chores? Using stickers on a physical chart can add a fun and engaging touch for kids as they complete chores and make progress.
This post was originally published on 03/02/2022. It was updated on 01/31/2024.
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