Today we are starting something new with the boys! They are old enough to have specific chores and do them to earn money. We’ve had specific chores for a while but you now how it goes and sometimes they get done, sometimes not. Last night we read a really neat book about saving money and debt (& here is another one). We have three of the set & the boys would like to get the rest of the set someday. It was great and the boys wanted to try what they suggest in the book. We have three envelopes. One for GIVING, SAVING and SPENDING. In our case we have a giving envelope (this will be the money they put aside to give back to God at church). Then they each have a wallet, they will store their spending money (money they want to have for a toy, school stuff or whatever they want to spend it on) in that. Then they each have a little bank container and that will be their saving money. Once they hit $50 it will go into their mutual funds that they each already have. They can choose to use this when they are older on something they might need.

They woke this morning excited to do the chores. I hope that lasts!! Gregory has to Make his bed, clean up his stuff in the room, Clean the cat box, empty trash, and when I need help I will have him sweep and dust. Adam has three chores, make his bed, empty trash, and pick up his room. When they have their chores done they can make an X or check it off on their chore chart which hangs on the fridge. At the end of the week they will get paid for doing their chores. Gregory $5 and Adam $3. Then they divide it up into the three spots (saving, giving, and spending) If they missed a day or didn’t do something then they get docked.

Also on the chore chart and something we all discussed was chores and things they do just as part of the family. Everyone pitches in and we don’t have to be “paid” for everything we do. Some of those include, putting laundry away, clearing the dinner table, picking up toys in other rooms and outside and more. We want them to learn to just pitch in and not have to be “paid” for everything. But we also feel its important for them to learn about earning money, giving and saving.

We also went over a few little “reminders”!
1. One toy thing out at a time
2. Do stuff without complaining
3. Honor God in our attitude
4. Think to do chores without Mommy and Daddy asking