Do you know what you have to do to get allowance? You have to do chores.
OKAY, CAN I CLEAN THE BATHROOM FOR $10?
Sure, but you have to clean the whole bathroom.
I delayed the cleaning as long as I could. I was fearing the mess I would have to clean up after my six-year-old cleaned the bathroom.
What was I thinking?
I let him start with the floor. First, pick up everything off of the floor. Take the trash out of the cans, clean the cans, and let them dry. Sweep and hand mop the floor.
Sounds good, right?
He did pick up everything, carrying the rugs outside to hang on the porch. I washed them and hung them out to dry so that he thought he carried them out himself and had to get them and put them back.
I didn't let him clean the trash can. That would be mean.
I made sure that the floor was dry, even if it does need mopped again. He then put the rugs back and wanted to move straight into the toilet.
I told him another day. Here is two bucks for the floor. If you earn $2 for every job in the bathroom:sink, floor, toilet, tub, and closet, you will get your $10 total.
He wants to do the inside of the toilet now, since it has been a couple of days.
I told him that the sink is next. I have let him clean the tub before. No shoes and very little spray, since that is the fun thing. I am glad that Clorox came out with green sprays. I still don't want him to spray his eyes, but he is bigger than that.
I told him that he could earn a quarter for every load of clothes he folds, and puts away. I only let him put his and his brothers clothes away.
I hang most of my things and he doesn't like hangers.
He wants a dollar. He is too old for coins now. I told him he has three more loads to fold. I may use this to my advantage. He is definately old enough to vacuum, and I have little bro dusting the living room, pretty much daily.
How old do they have to be to mow the lawn?
If I didn't care about the condition of my clean dishes, I would let them wash those. They do splash a lot though.
Now you see my problem with him cleaning the inside of the toilet.
Add $.01 to my son's $20 challenge. He was doing laundry and found a penny lying on the floor next to the dryer. I only find money in the machines.
Son wants allowance
October 7th, 2008 at 08:12 pm
October 7th, 2008 at 08:48 pm 1223412514
At six, he should be capable of putting away dishes from the dishwasher (or if you do them by hand, drying them) at least anything in cupboards low enough to reach. He can certainly sort the silverware basket into the drawer. He should be able to change any garbage in the house except the kitchen one if it is too heavy, and take these smaller bags to the trash can. By ten he should be able to do the kitchen garbage, too if it's not overloaded with something heavy. He can make his own bed and put away his own laundry in his dresser. He can wash the table after a meal and set it before one if you put everything on it for him that he can't reach. And yes, cleaning the toilet bowl with supervision he should be able to do. My son has been for three years and now at 8 1/2 he does a very good job of it and I don't even have to redo it afterwards.
My children pick up the pinecones that fall in the driveway and get a penny per pinecone. During the spring if I don't have time to weed we do a penny per dandelion head, too, so they won't go to seed in the yard. It adds up.