We have started a new system with Zach. He has a chore chart that involves simple chores. Feeding the dog, helping pick up dog poop, putting away clean clothes, and helping to make his bed. For every time he does a chore he earns a respected amount of allowance for that chore. For example he gets $0.50 for feeding Mia, he of course earns more for picking up poop in the back yard.
Last week we went to Target to pick out a birthday gift for his friend's birthday party he had this past weekend and of course we had the usual conversation about him wanting to pick out a toy for himself. We began the early math lesson of what he had earned in allowance and how much things cost. Since we had just started this process he had only earned $3.00 in allowance that week. He wanted a new Monster Truck, and I explained to him that he needed $2.00 more for that. I explained to him that he could wait until next week and earn more allowance and get the monster truck. Of course he was not going to save his money and he wanted to know what he could get today.
He decided on 3 Hot Wheels cars each costing $.97 each. It was a great idea that I picked up from a Mommy Blog that I read. It is a great math lesson for him, and he gets the benefit of learning the responsibility of earning his own toys. Bonus is that it takes out the fight at the store that he wants a new toy.
He really enjoys helping around the house, and it is neat to watch him attempt to do "big people jobs" as he calls them!
Just for the record, I would have liked to see a picture of him thinking over his decisions!
ReplyDeleteHe is old enough now to make him act out what you want in a picture....just saying!