Reasonable chores list and allowance for 9 year old? (babysit, baby, parents)

[Bmateo]

Trying to get a feel for what other parents are doing. Unfortunately we are a bit behind the curve because we have not had a formal chores list or allowance for our child. I want to start them.

1) How much do you give your child per week (or other period of time) for allowance?

2) What do they have to do to earn it?

3) How flexible are you if they don't do everything on the list?

Feedback aprreciated

[no kudzu]

our 7 year olds take out the recycle bins every thursday night
bring in the mail
help unload the car after grocery shopping and put things away
unload the diswasher except for knives and other sharp things
set the table every night and put dishes in the diswasher after every meal
walk the dog after school and pick up poop using the stick-your hand-in the sack trick
strip their beds
fold laundry
shred bills and other paper
pick up stick in the yard before mowing
pick up the house before i vacuum
clean out the car once a week
sometimes weed in the garden
feed and water the 3 pets
dust furniture
more duties as assigned............

None of these things are called chores-Just participating in family life. The only things they get paid for is $.25 for each poop pick up so they end up fighting over it!

I didn't get married and have kids to be a slave and I think you should start early and build up with responsibilities.
No chart is kept. We just tell them what needs to be done and they usually do it but sometimnes need a reminder. They want to please and they thrive on responsibility. One is more interested in helping with cooking than the other. That's OK.
Privledges increase with more responsibilities.
It's worked well with all 7 of our kids.

[hml1976]

I like kudzu's list. I have a 5yr old that has a similar list, except we let her do the knives too We haven't started allowance yet but I think it should be separate from expected household chores, for special projects (ie cleaning out the garage with Dad) and then we'll, keep a third, save a third and give third.

[omigawd]

I've read many places that a reasonable allowance is the same as the child's age... $7 for a 7 year old, $10 for a 10 year old, etc.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by no kudzu

The only things they get paid for is $.25 for each poop pick up so they end up fighting over it!

That's hillarious!

[StilltheSame]

Chores for my 10 year old ($7 per week)
Assist with laundry - loading dryer, bringing up laundry from basement
Sweep and mop kitchen floor
Clean kids bathroom
Clean basement kids area
Keep her room clean (that's mandatory - not really part of allowance

For my 7 year old -
Empty all trash - and take out
vacuum basement -
clean basement play area
organize shoes and gloves
keep room clean (again - not allowance based)

They get $3-5 for helping to pick up leaves and bag them but that's a 2 day (2hour per day) job.

[Momma_bear]

We do not give an allowance, nor do we pay our kids to do normal household chores. They are expected to participate in running the household because they live here. They are 10, 13, 15, all boys.

They get paid for jobs that are not part of the regular running of the house like washing my car, bor cleaning out the smoker. I pay the older ones to babysit ONLY if we are going to be gone for a long time on a day that they could have gone out (Sat night). If I go to the grocery store I expect them to watch their brother.

Walk the dog (we have a family rotation).
Sweep the floor.
Set the table.
Help cook.
Clean up the kitchen after meals.
Bring the laundry from the hamper to the laundry room
Put away their clean clothes.
Help with laundry.
Bring groceries in from the car.
Help put groceries away in the pantry.
Take the garbage out
Take the recyclables out
Bring the garbage pails in
Bring the recyclable bins in

[hypocore]

The only 'allowance' doled out here is for lunch money. Otherwise they are simply part of the family and get to enjoy what our money buys, while they also participate in household tasks. The only regular thing my two younger ones, 6 and 12, are in charge of is emptying the trash from the house...hubby takes it out.

When needed they do help with laundry, cooking, cleaning, organizing and whatever needs to be done. It's simply part of being in the family, not something to be rewarded for in our house.

[golfgal]

We don't give an allowance to normal household chores, never have.

By 9 our kids pretty much did everything around the house-cleaned their bathrooms, did laundry (mostly folded and put it away), cleaned the kitchen, dusted, vacuumed, etc. We didn't have any formal "chart". They were each assigned a level of the house and they kept that clean along with their own rooms. If there was a bathroom on that level, they cleaned it, if they had the level with the laundry room, they folded laundry, etc. I did most of the laundry though.

Now that they are older in the summer they do all of the laundry, cook dinner, etc. During the school year we do a once a week cleaning as no one has time for much more than that-they clean the kitchen after dinner each night though.

I had a roommate in college that didn't even know how to change a roll of toilet paper. We had to show her how to clean, cook, do laundry, etc. I swore my kids would NEVER be like that. I did make a lot of money freshman year in college doing laundry for people that didn't know how though .

[Bmateo]

I appreciate all the people who don't pay because it is part of being the family. I agree with that concept whole-heartedly. But on the otherhand, we are also trying to find a way to blend that concept with an appreciation and understanding of the value of money. It seems all too easy for her to ask for something and she gets it, or she doesn't. I want her to 'earn' an allowance so she can start making her own decisions about "if I get this, then I won't be able to afford that", as that is real life.

So, for those of you who don't provide any opportunity for your kids to earn money, how are you addressing this issue?

Thanks for all the replies so far, and keep them coming. We have initiated a plan, and with the feedback and acceptance of our daughter, it is in effect. But we agreed to monitor it, and as a family suggest changes, with mom and dad getting final say (of course).

My daughter is excited about chances to earn money, and make some decisions, even though the net effect is that she'll probably end up with less, she is responding well thus far.