Thread: Pocket money
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Old January 28th 09, 07:38 AM posted to misc.kids
Tai[_2_]
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Default Pocket money

Welches wrote:
I thought I'd try and generate a debate or two as this group seems to
have gone fairly quiet barring the spam.
I'm going to raise a couple of senarios, that I've been in as a child
or a parent or a friend.
This one is about pocket money.

Three children, two born at the start of the academic year, one born
towards the end.

Pocket money could either be raised (and started ot be given) on
birthdays, starting at age 5yo. However, assuming that all children
go onto university and then get a job and are then self supporting,
this means that the one born at the end of the year gets almost a
year less of having pocket money as they will be just 18 when they
leave home, and the others nearly 19.
Alternatively: You could raise pocket money (and start giving it)
when they start school. This means that they will have the same
number of years having pocket money, but the one at the end of the
year starts getting pocket money at only just 4yo rather than nearly
5yo.
I can see that either could raise resentment. Or neither. Which do
you think is fairer, or have you an alternative (not giving pocket
money at all doesn't count!!!)
Debbie


I wouldn't worry about fairness, in fact, I think it's a mistake to try to
balance parental largess so exactly on specific expenses. It could lead to
unreasonable expectations and a rod for your own back.

As far as pocket money is concerned I had big plans for my children to have
good-sized allowances by the time they were in their teens and that they
would be budgeting their clothes, etc. and social lives out of that. The
reality has been that my 8 year old still doesn't need much more than his
tooth fairy money and gift sums from his grandparents. His money gathers
dust while he tries to think of something to spend it on. I never gave the
the older ones much more than $5 - $7 per week to use on their incidental
expenses. Pocket money stopped when they got part time jobs at age 15 and
they didn't want it anymore, they were proud of the quasi-independence their
own earnings gave them.

It turns out that they are quite careful and sensible with their own money
and pretty good with mine, as well. For example, both saved up for their
laptops and better mobile phones than the hand-me-downs they got from their
father and me. We negotiate on extra expenses that aren't education related
(parents own those costs in our family) and they aren't extravagant so
that's usually fairly painless as well.

I think each family has to work out what will work best for their financial
situation and the personalities and needs of the children. There's no need
to have all the children under the same plan at the same age, say, just
because one or other of them might think it was fairest that way. You as the
parents get to decide what fair really means, not the children.