My kids never received a regular allowance, however if they did certain chores around the house they did sometimes receive money.  Keeping their rooms clean, setting the table, doing the dishes once in a blue moon were expected.  They’d also have to run the vacuum cleaner, dust, and keep their laundry picked up off the bathroom floor.

However, when the kids went “above and beyond” like washing the car or trimming the hedges or cooking dinner, they were rewarded with some allowance.  Or if we had company coming and had to do a cleaning blitz throughout the entire house, I’d pay them $10 or so.

I find myself agreeing with Miranda Marquit’s thoughts on the subject,

I agree that teaching children the importance of hard work is important, and teaching them to earn money is important. But I’m not paying my seven year old for chores he should be doing because he’s a part of the family. I am trying to teach him that there is satisfaction derived from doing good work as part of the family, even if you don’t get paid for it.

Allowance is definitely not a “gimme” in my house. The kids get everything they need – from clothes to food to money to attend a football game or see a movie.  To get these things, they can do their chores.  To get extra, they can take on babysitting jobs, wash the cars, or other non-standard chores.