A young girl counts money, holds a broom and dustpan, and carries a laundry basket

Shutterstock.com (girl doing chores); Debate photos courtesy of families

Should Kids Get Paid to Do Chores?

August 31, 2020

Doing the laundry. Walking the dog. Taking out the trash. For millions of kids, doing chores is a part of everyday life. For many of them, helping around the house is also a way to make some extra money. In a 2018 survey of more than 1,000 kids, nearly 40 percent said they got an allowance from their parents for doing chores.

Some people say paying kids to do chores helps teach them the value of hard work. Others argue that when kids earn their allowance, they’re more likely to save their money and spend it wisely. Those skills will help them succeed when they grow up.

But other people argue that paying kids to do chores sends the wrong message. They say kids should help out without expecting to be rewarded. They point out that parents don’t get paid to do housework, so kids shouldn’t either.

Here’s what two of our readers think.

My mom recently started giving me an allowance for helping around the house. Before that, I sometimes got distracted when I was asked to do chores. But once I knew that loading the dishwasher or making my bed would earn me a few bucks, I had to be asked only once.

Earning an allowance enables me to buy the things I want without having to always ask my parents for extra money.

Kids should get paid for a job well done. After all, adults don’t work for free!

Getting paid to do chores is like getting paid to wash your hands. Both are things that you should do without expecting to get money for it.

My brother and I don’t get paid for chores. We help make things messy, so it’s only fair that we help clean up. My parents are preparing us for when we grow up. No one is going to pay us for cleaning our own homes.

Besides, my parents spend a lot of money on my food and clothes and things like vacations. They don’t need to pay me to do chores.