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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson
From: benson@dcdwest.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.kids
Subject: Re: Survey of allowance practices
Message-ID: <155@dcdwest.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 6-Sep-84 08:48:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: dcdwest.155
Posted: Thu Sep  6 08:48:03 1984
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Sep-84 08:12:33 EDT
References: <820@ihuxn.UUCP>
Organization: ITT DCDWEST (San Diego)
Lines: 27

My kids and I have gone through three distinct phases of allowances.
First, I assigned chores and money for doing those chores.  This
started at age 4 and lasted until the arguments over how much things
were worth got too time consuming.

The second phase was started when my oldest was twelve.  She wanted
designer jeans and I couldn't stand the idea.  After too much time
spent arguing, I put her on a clothes allowance and let her buy her own
clothes.  When my younger daughter turned twelve, she also went on
clothes allowance.  Stage three is now.  The girls are seventeen and
fourteen.  I give them about $7 a week for expenses plus $25 a month
for clothes.  Their mother sends them money as well.

I give them allowances as a recognition of the fact that they have
legitimate expenses and need money to cover them and that they are
members of the household.  On the other hand, they have chores to do,
which include dishes and cleaning, which are theirs to do because they
are members of the household.  The allowance and the chores are
separate items.  This systems has been in place for three years and is
working very well.  It depends upon the participants having some sense
of responsibility to the family.
-- 
				_
Peter Benson			| ITT Defense Communications Division
(619)578-3080			| 10060 Carroll Canyon Road
decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!benson	| San Diego, CA 92131
ucbvax!sdcsvax!dcdwest!benson	|