October 1, 2006 - Sunday
This afternoon the boys went with their mother up to the Target. She and I had basically agreed to buy them each a small toy, because, well, they ask all the time now and we really don't over-indulge them very much. The idea, though, was it would be because they are both doing well in school, particularly Harry whose homework and spelling tests are solid examples of good work. Of course, the toy each came home with was bigger than we'd talked about it was a clear result of the boys' ever-improving charm in the matter.

In a very really way, these new toys were a substitute for any allowance, as we have yet to start that process. The boys still make some rather small amount of money by collecting our returnable bottles and cans, but it takes them an awfully long time to save up for any toys they'd like; too long for them to really appreciate the idea of benefit and payoff of saving. So, why not just start them on an allowance? I'm sure we will, but something about an allowance doesn't sit quite right with me. As a kid, I don't think my allowance was never something that I felt I had to earn in any way, but was rather something of an entitlement. I'm not sure that helped built any entrepreneurial initiative. The boys mother has always said that she explicit doesn't believe allowances should be tied to specific household chores, lest they be done with those and not have to participate in helping the family in other ways. She says she received an allowance that was understood to be a quid pro quo for her generally helping out and maybe that's the way it will be with us, too. I can't help but wonder, though, tying allowances into the boys "work" doesn't make more sense. Adults get paid to work. Kids work is at school. Why not tie allowance to that? The boys mother says that doesn't sound right and that the only time she's heard of that is with parents of bad students trying to bribe them to do better. And I guess I'd agree that directly tying dollars to grades might not be so good. However, what about generally tying it to work, similar to that general work around the house? I don't really know. I have to think about it some more.


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