Kids working?

[LuxLiving]

Under 18 - no. Chores are cheerfully done as assigned on a moment by moment basis. Work was required after age 17. We were homeschooling and it just worked out that way for us.

Ages 18-20 - Must work & be saving for move-out & retirement - not allowed to just blow all your cash. Regularly assigned chores at your leisure, but must be done by bedtime.

Over age 20 at my house you MUST WORK & pay (currently) $200 a month room & board and some household chores expected w/o reminders - lawn mowing & trash removal, kitchen cleanup & laundry foldups/put aways. Mom cooks, starts the wash and does general household cleaning and helps w/budgeting priorities.

So far, so good. We reassess every 6 months.

[fairy74]

I agree under 18, no money towards household expenses. However, if they are working that is the time to scale back to providing the basics (i.e. I'll buy suave shampoo, if you want Pantene pony up bucko!). School supplies and clothes, basics any designer brands they get to pay for. DH and I might help to buy a cheap, basic car but all gas, insurance, maintenance would be up to the working child. Also 10% of each check needs to go into a savings account. And I would totally cut off funds for entertainment type acitivities (i.e. concerts, movies, etc...). It's a good way to make sure that they are beginning to understand how much things cost and that luxury is just that...

[PrincessPerky]

I think having a magic cut off age might be a bit hard to swallow for a teen....

[Ima saver]

I started working at age 12. I bought my own clothes, shoes, school supplies, school lunches and anything else I needed. My father had died and there was no extra money for anything other than basic food, electric, water and heat.
I bought my own car and paid for my own gas, oil change, insurance, etc.

[fairy74]

My brothers and I all worked at paper routes and in my grandmother's restaurant from the time we were small. By the time we were 15 my father expected us to work at least 15 hours a week during the school year and full-time during summer vacation. I have never regretted having a solid respect for work and not expecting others to provide for me. While it's not the only way to raise children, it does do away with that irritating sense of entitlement some people tend to come pre-programmed with!

[smokey0066]

I would say NO. Their income is probably minimal; it is either probably from allowance or some part time minimum wage job. Why knock them down when they are already on the bottom of the rung. Let them have fun while they are kids. Yes they need to learn responsibility but that can be taught with other methods.

Over 18: Why kick a kid out at the age of 18 when they're just getting on their feet? Many of the friends I grew up with were "kicked" out when they turned 18 and were expected to fend for them selves or pay their parents for "rent.” I had the luxury of not having to worry about the financials, although I did work, and focus on obtaining an education. The way I see it is Yes, you can do it all on your own; move out, get a full time job to pay for all your expenses and try to attend school full or part time. But people I know in these shoes usually didn’t finish or if they did it took them twice or three times as long as the rest of us since they are part time students. I know a lot of people say if they can do it so can their kids but why not take some of this burden off the next generation and share the fruits of your labor by making their lives a bit easier.

Now if your kid is a college graduate, has a full time job, and is not contributing or not moved out then I would have something to say.

Who am I to say… I am not the norm and was raised on the other side of the tracks so I see things differently.

[disneysteve]

Over 18: Why kick a kid out at the age of 18 when they're just getting on their feet?

Now if your kid is a college graduate, has a full time job, and is not contributing or not moved out then I would have something to say.

I agree. I wouldn't expect my daughter, or any child, to be independent at 18. I expect my daughter to be a student until 21 at least. At that point, if no grad school, then a full-time job and transition into independence pretty quickly after that.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'd hope the same, but I can see where parents draw the line at 18. Although before is a bit rough.