Should parents pay their children for chores they do. Not the regular washing the dishes and sweeping the floor chores. Chores like fixing the dining chair that was getting a bit cranky, clearing the grass in the compound and stuff like that.

Nope, that is not right at all. It is like trying to teach them to always expect to be paid for any little things they are doing. But I think, such an effort should be encouraged in every child and give them rewards not immediately but on special occasions to gear them more and to let them know what they did is well appreciated.

I will not only pay them, but I will allow them to reject the chores entirely if they feel that what I'm paying them is too small.  I want my children to develop sharp minds for business, and this is one way to accomplish that.  If I am able to communicate economic literacy to them from an early age, they will never be poor.   

I always feel sad when I come accross adults (including myself) who are afraid to make money because they have been decieved into thinking it's evil.  I will not make the same mistake with my children; they will be so good with business that they'll be capable of paying for their own private university education. Independence rocks!

Well, when I think "chores" I think of them doing their share around the house, if they are doing a job you would have paid someone else to do, then why shouldn't you pay them?? Of course,I might negotiate to pay them less, but it would be their right to refuse,

Well my parents paid us, sort of like a weekly pocket money, if we kept the house in tip top shape, I felt this was great as it not only taught us to clean up after ourselves, it taught us to respect our property. I will definately use this method with my children. I do not think it effected us negatively because we learned the value of money at an early age, so we knew if we wanted something out of our parents reach we should save the money we got especially for a rainy day.
REMEMBER NOTHING IS FOR FREE.

ALL HAIL MY PARENTS, I HAVE SOO MUCH RESPECT FOR THEM!!!!

No way

@ Seun

I will not only pay them, but I will allow them to reject the chores entirely if they feel that what I'm paying them is too small.  I want my children to develop sharp minds for business, and this is one way to accomplish that.  If I am able to communicate economic literacy to them from an early age, they will never be poor.  

 

This is most unrealistic. Pay ur children indeed! When they grow older they should also pay you for the sex that brought them to the world (afterall it was exhausting), they should pay you for all the free food and housing they are getting. They should pay you for the hospital trips, nappies used, school fees. In short, they should pay you daddy fees for fixing the broken bulbs, repairing the car, painting their room etc.

"If they are able to communicate economic literacy to you you at that late age, you will never be poor in retirement!"

When they grow older they should also pay you for the sex that brought them to the world

Well they did not ask me to bring them into the world.  This is something I did for myself, because I want children.  It would be unfair to ask the children to pay for something that was done for someone else's sake.

they should pay you for all the free food and housing they are getting.   They should pay you for the hospital trips, nappies used, school fees. In short, they should pay you daddy fees for fixing the broken bulbs, repairing the car, painting their room etc.

When I made the decision to bring children into the world, I knew that I would have the obligation to feed and house them until they attain legal independence.  Therefore the cost of feeding and housing is something I am bearing for my own sake, and not for their sakes.  Since the children did not ask to be born the person that decided to bring them into the world must feed and house them until they are legally adults. 

He who makes the decision must bear the cost. Nobody forced you to have children, so you must pay!

"If they are able to communicate economic literacy to you you at that late age, you will never be poor in retirement!"

By the time my children turn 18 and are legally adults, they probably won't need my assistance anymore.  All my income would be going straight into my retirement investments, so I won't need to live off my children in my old age.  I would also have a good relationship with them, based on mutual respect and independence, so if I ever really need their help, they would provide it voluntarily out of their abundance.

my parents paid me for doing weekly chores. i think that this geared me up for life as it teaches u the worth of money and to work for it. nothing is handed to u on a plate.

unless ur born wit a silverspoon in ur mouth.
My kids will be treated in the same way.

davidylan:

This is most unrealistic. Pay your children indeed! When they grow older they should also pay you for the sex that brought them to the world (afterall it was exhausting), they should pay you for all the free food and housing they are getting. They should pay you for the hospital trips, nappies used, school fees. In short, they should pay you daddy fees for fixing the broken bulbs, repairing the car, painting their room etc.

Only stingy parents would say this and I won't be surprised when their kids start stealing.

Skidoc:

Only stingy parents would say this and I won't be surprised when their kids start stealing.

Stealing ke? My parents did not pay me a kobo for doing anything, i learnt to do my chores not because i was sure to earn some money but because it was my responsibility. You don't teach your kid to be responsible if he expects gratification for anything he does. It is not the best way to teach a child the virtues of selfless service. We did have pocket money though so we were certainly not tempted to steal.

davidylan:

We did have pocket money though so we were certainly not tempted to steal.

Exactly what we are all saying. Read all the posts above, everybody got pocket-money and it's indirectly for your work. I doubt if any parents would actually say "I'm paying you for cleaning the floor", but you get pocket money for it. And if you don't do the work, they might be angry and refuse to give you the money till you do it. So what does that mean?  Davidylan also got paid! I think it's the use of the word 'pay' that's confusing you.

Exactly, the word 'pay' is confusing. This is because, if it is the word pay per se, it is very uncommon for a child to demand for his/her 'pay' in the event of performing a work which he/she is not paid. So I will still stick with the idea of encouraging such child to do that kind of work and grease their palm at a later time so that he/she will know their efforts are well appreciated.
Again, I think it is differ from parent to parent, I will relate the example of some of us that grew up going to perform hard chore in the farm. Some jobs that would have require labourer being hired to do, were executed by us. Even though the harvest are a big relief to the food storage of the family, do we still have to be expected to be paid? Having said this, times abound when we would be paid for such services especially if it involves hiring other workers who are being paid.

I agree with what Seun said.Paying your children gives them financial independence at an early age and makes them understand the value of money and how hard it is to earn money.
If my parents agreed over anything long enough to do that with me am sure i wouldnt be such a spend thrift now.


You people should leave davidylan alone o.

Believe it or not, admit it or not, guys you got rewarded one way or the other from you parent! pocket money or no pocket money! pay or no pay! My parent almost never gave me money unless I  have need for it until I got to secondary school but before then, my mum buy me cloths almost everyday even if na Okirika!

Seun and co: make sure you have contract/agreement  forms for you and your kids that way nobody will change what was original agreed on! you know as business guys!

No i don't.
That they get money from me has nothing to do with the housework.
I tell them am not the houseslave .We live together and make dirt together so we clean it together.
Its only the toilet that all refuse to clean

Mr. Dad: Chores or Whip?
Kiddo: Chores.
Mr. Dad: Good enough.

That's the only option in the Jungle.

I have to say that I like Seun's way of thinking (with regards child-rearing).

Not that I would ever have any myself.

As for this:

Mr. Dad: Chores or Whip?
Kiddo: Chores.
Mr. Dad: Good enough

You may joke about it but no doubt it happens. Either way it's abuse.

If you don't know how to reason with people then you should probably consider having a vasectomy.

exu:

You may joke about it but no doubt it happens. Either way it's abuse.

In your world, it is. In my part of the Jungle it is a virtue.

Why would anyone want to whip their child?Holy Cow!

spikedcylinder:

Why would anyone want to whip their child?Holy Cow!

To restore the moral fiber in our society.

If whiping my kids is going to restore the society,then let the society decay and rot!

wow. under 5 hours 22 replies already. now let me start reading.

spikedcylinder:

If whiping my kids is going to restore the society,then let the society decay and rot!

The deed is already done due to government meddling. I'm only doing my part to reverse the trend.

i will pay my kids for doing chores. even if it is washing dishes or sweeping d floor. instead of giving dem pocket money like dat. dey will work for it and earn it. and i will pay dem very good amounts. everyweek i give them their paycheck. it will help them to develop d sense of working and to realise dat they gotta work to earn a living.

i will never ever in dis world of Bush and Osama bin laden, whip ma kid. no way. dey aint animals. dey r human beings. there are other ways of punishing kids dat is even more positive dan whipping. i will love ma kids so much. why wont i sef? yeah, i have to cuzz dey r my kids.

diddy4:

i will never ever in this world of Bush and Osama bin laden, whip ma kid. no way. dey aint animals. i will love ma kids so much.

It's tough love. No love lost.

i dont want tough love, i wann@ love 'em like dey should be loved. dat way dont wont be afraid to come near me when dey wann@ let some secrets off.

@seun
i support u man, to be independent rocksssssssss.

For those who are convinced: yeah!

For those who are still not convinced: don't you think it's exploitation to use a child for work without pay?

Ok. Why I asked this question is because, we have a large compound, its house not a rented place andof course the place grows weed. I have muscles though enough to do the job and I do them. After a while though my step mom hired sombody to be doing it. And hey, I didnt complain, matter of fact I was relieved, coz when I was doing it there was no commendation for a job well done or incentives of anysort. Then the guy left, travelled to his village, somebody else came he too left after a while. Now the compound is overgrown and they wont me to weedit but I'm telling ma parents the only condition I'd o it is if I get paid for it just as the guys who camein along the line to do what I thought was my responsibilty as a part of the family and get paid for it.

We had a arguement over it and of course I lost.

Few days after I was watching Dr. Phil and there was this guywho brought his parentsto report to Dr. Phil that they(hisparents) wouldnt give him pocket money, his mother bought a new BMW and yet they complain there is no money. So instead heasked them to pay him for the chores he does aroundthe house and they said noo way.

But Dr. Phil's stance was that he desrved to be paid especially if its something they would under normal circumstances hire someone from outside to do.

More responses, this is getting interesting

           It will be nice to launch an anti- slave trade solidarity campaign !!

If parents are obligated to provide only the basics (food, shelter and clothing) for their children, then children can very well live a detached life from the family unit, and fend for themselves once they reach majority. But if parent will sacrifice to provide education and opportunity for the children to have an advantage to succeed in life, then the kids owe a duty to perform the role assigned to them in the family.