E.B. earned his first allowance last week from my mother. Mom’s back has been giving her trouble, so E.B. has been “helping” her pick up things around her home and be an extra set of hands and feet for her. He did this all week not expecting a thing, and on Saturday she presented him with $5. His reaction? “I’m rich!! I’m rich, I tell ya!!”.
Ever since he has become quite helpful around our home. He’s offering to pick up his toys instead of being told, insisted on helping me fill up the windshield wiper reservoir in the car with water, and really going out of his way to make things easy on me.
And while I love this new attitude, he now asks if I will give him a dollar after every task he completes. Smart kid has figured it out. I’ve promised him at the end of the week he will get his allowance, but I also want him to understand that he will be expected to do age-appropriate things around our home and not because he is getting paid to, but that it will be him taking responsibility for himself and his things. It’s a delicate balance. But I know for sure that I want him to grow into a self-sufficient young man who takes responsibility for himself and picks up after himself.
Should he choose to marry, his future wife will thank me someday.
Everyone has their price!
I could not but laugh at the I’m rich statement. Sounds so much like my boys. I do agree with you that it is a delicate balance as I have learned fast that my boys are money motivated lol but they do realize that its nice to pitch in and help sometimes just because and getting paid or receiving the allowance is not as important as growing into responsible young men and caring your weight around the house. Haha, the last part is the sound of a tired mom but somehow I think they get it lol.