Comments on: How Much Is Too Much?

By: Nan

Nan — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 23:57:03 +0000

Tammy, Our son at 3yr collected trash from bedrooms as one of his chores. (Grateful to great grandma with her suggestion and assistance.) His reward: Helping his great grandma. He LOVED it. He looked forward to Tuesdays. I disagree with no chores for a day reward (seen on top 10 rewards) until they are established with doing rewards. It takes a person 21 days to make something a habit. As for school, we home school and I let him get his scheduled work done in specific time frame for the day with a reward. It can be a friend over for specific amount of time. (usually 2 or 3 hours). Could try a time frame for homework and specific reward. Ask him what he’d want and work with him. Does he struggle with school work or breezes through it? Keep us posted.

By: Grumpy72

Grumpy72 — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:55:09 +0000

You know it’s funny, my father some time ago asked my older bro why my bro gave his kids everything they asked for. My Bro’s response was – because I can and because you didn’t give it all to me. (My parents took offense! LOL!) My bro’s children (17 and 15) suffer the “Entitlement Attitude”, in that neither feels the need to work beyond the minimums and the oldest hasn’t held a job for more than a week (at 17.) My sis’ kids (22 and 15) are careless with the things they are given, and care for the things they buy themselves!

On the opposite side, my kids are much younger than his but they work for what they get, I feel horrible making them work when I can just give it to them, but at the same time I kinda want them to understand things don’t just come easy – though I do reward with the special treat sometimes.

Months later in a conversation with my mum, she asked why I made my kids work for things (implying it wasn’t right or wrong,) and I told her that I remembered working for the things I wanted and learning the value of a buck and the pride of hard work.

I don’t know who is right, but I do know that only time will tell if my kids resent me for making the work!

By: Gregg

Gregg — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:14:41 +0000

This is a topic that I have been pondering for awhile. With the help of handipoints my children (3) are doing their chores and helping around the house. I to, was thinking that they did not have to work for anything. I think this is a bigger problem then people think.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:53:30 +0000

I’m asking for advice in this area as sometimes I think I’m too hard on my kids. I grew up having a good work ethic and I want my kids to be hard workers. I let them do a lot of playing in between their school work, but I also insist that they learn responsibilities by having chores. I often worry about my 9 year old boy – he really doesn’t like to work or do school work and takes forever when he’s doing either of these things.

By: Brigitte

Brigitte — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:38:38 +0000

Then again, it wasn’t like my parents deprived me, on purpose, of things they could have given me. They just didn’t have that kind of money! I think that in general, our generation can afford more trinkets and doodads than our parents could, and we love giving our children all the things we wished for and could never have, not even making them wait for birthday or Christmas – until it all blows up in our faces.

By: SoMo

SoMo — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:17:17 +0000

I totally agree. At some point, we must kick them out of the nest and they either fly or fall to the ground. Either way I think they will do fine as long as we give them the tools they need to survive this world.