Recently, my son, who is 7, asked me how he could make money other than from the tooth fairy. I don’t blame him. The fairy’s occasional $2 doesn’t do much for a boy who dreams of massive Lego sets and a bike with gears.
But is a 7-year-old allowance ready? And should he receive the cash in return for chores?
I grew up without an allowance. My parents thought doing basic household chores was simply a part of contributing to the family, not something you got paid for. They gave me money when I needed it, but not in exchange for, say, setting the table.
My son doesn’t really need money. At this stage of his life, between birthday and holidays, he gets pretty much everything he wants. But I understand the pride factor when you pay for something yourself, with the money you earned. I want him to know that.
So I’m leaning towards giving him a weekly allowance, perhaps in exchange for a few extra chores, perhaps not. Regardless, how much should he get every week? It seems the amount kids get from the tooth fairy ranges a lot -- I’ve heard of sums ranging from $1 to $10 per tooth -- so allowance rates probably vary as well.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
