Allowances

Semester Essay # 6 Prompt 5

Many Parents give children a weekly or monthly allowance regardless of their behavior because they believe an allowance teaches children to be financially responsible. Other parents only give children an allowance as a reward for completing chores or when they have behaved properly. Explain what you think parents should do and why.

            Regardless on what condition or to what standards a child receives an allowance, receiving an allowance at all is a privilege. Not every child receives an allowance but most if not all would not mind one. However, I believe an allowance can teach valuable lessons and for that reason I think an allowance should be earned. An allowance should not be given regardless of a child’s behavior. An allowance should be given as a reward for completing chores asked and for showing exemplary behavior.

            An allowance can teach a child a lot about the world that will come running at them in just a couple of years. It will teach them financial responsibility, and with that point alone I argue nothing. Financial responsibility in an unstable financial world is a necessity. Without financial responsibility, the chances of a person living with as little debt as possible are impossible. My argument comes in when parents continue to give children an allowance without having them earn it on the sole reason of financial responsibility. In the real world money will not be handed to them every week by people for no reason at all. It would be great to have a world where money is given out every week for free but the reality is that in the real world you will have to earn money. Basically if you want money you will have to work for it. That is a fact of life for all working class people so why not start teaching a child that from the beginning, and what better way than by having them earn their allowance.  When parents have their children do chores in order to receive an allowance, the children learn that they have to work to receive money.

            Parents should also give an allowance if the children behave properly. If a child behaves horribly and still receives an allowance they learn that they can do whatever they want and still get money. Growing up with this state of mind will get a child into a lot of trouble and ultimately cost them a great, successful future. In the working world, if you behave horribly at your job you are fired. If you do not listen to your boss and respond with negative comments you are fired. For this reason an allowance should be given if and only if the child behaves properly. It is better to teach a child that bad behavior gains nothing by not giving them an allowance when they act terrible, than have them face the consequences when they grow up and learn this lesson the hard way. Overall, the lessons that come with making a child earn their allowance benefits them more than not making them earn it. Making a child work for his or her allowance is better parenting and will account for better children.