Learning about money

We have started to learn about money around here. I have wondered and worried and fretted about this. On the one hand, I think it's important to help these kiddos learn about money--how work will earn it, how to keep it, how to save, how to love paying tithing, how to spend it, how to keep track.  'Allowance' seems like a great way to do that. On the other hand, we are a family. I don't get paid for the countless chores I do everyday.  Mike doesn't get paid for all the help he renders.  We are a family and we love each other, and as such, we will work together and help to build and manage our home.  How to you reconcile the two of these?

For now, the solution is this.  I made up chore charts for the kids. The first few items are things that the kids are expected to do, because we are a family; because we love each other; because they love mom.  This list includes things like making beds, setting and clearing the table, picking up toys, etc, etc.   The next few items on the list are additional chores that the kids can get paid for.  Things like sweeping, picking up dirty clothes, hanging up towels, etc.

The kids have to finish the first few chores before they can move on to any of their paid chores.  If they complete all of their regular chores and their paid chores, they can ask me (or Mike) for additional jobs to earn additional cash.

So far, our little system is working. The kids are having fun still, although I'm sure I will need to come up with some sort of different system in about 6 weeks when the novelty has worn off.  We are saving up their money in their little banks, and today at church all of us handed the Bishop a tithing envelope and gave him our greatest missionary handshake.  Yesterday we divided up all the money and found that Katelyn and Josh both had a dollar they could spend on anything they wanted! We headed to the dollar store (and then three more!) and by the end Katelyn was the proud owner of a new pair of sunglasses (adult sized, mind you! "But Mom! They're pink!!"), and Josh was the proud new owner of a foam sword.  It was a great success and I'm hoping for more fun money adventures in the weeks ahead! :)