I would love to hear from parents with older children. Do your working children pay board? What's the going rate? What do they contribute to now they are working full time? Are they still helping around the house? What works for your family?
I would love to hear from parents with older children. Do your working children pay board? What's the going rate? What do they contribute to now they are working full time? Are they still helping around the house? What works for your family?
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10 Replies
We don't charge board until they turn 18 but they are expected to buy whatever they need like clothes and medical if they can afford it. Under 18s don't usually earn a lot of money anyway and I just don't believe in charging kids board. Paying for their own stuff takes the pressure off the budget. My 19 year old pays $100 a week board which is cheap but he's expected to save to move out, probably won't happen for a while with the way things are at the moment.
I believe that a job when they are at school is their money on the condition that it doesn't impact on their education and they learn how to plan ahead/save. I.e. whatever they save for a car when they are 17 and can drive, you will match (if you can). Likewise, if they're at university or doing an apprenticeship, their focus is on getting qualifications, so you still help meet their financial needs unless they are on a really good wicket like an electrical apprenticeship with an electricity company that pays an excellent FT wage.
I'd implement something more formal if they were looking to move out where I'd have them pay what they would in a share house so they learn how to manage it before they lock themselves into a lease or spend money on house stuff only to move home again. I'd keep the money aside to help set them up with pots, pans, furniture etc though.
As long as they were working towards a qualification I'd still be financially supportive. They would be expected to contribute to the household in other ways the same as always with chores or whatever though.
no, wouldn't dream of charging my teen board.
when they start paying for their own stuff, you will save enough, why profit when you dont have additional expenses?
I personally wouldn’t ever charge my children board x
Yes our son is an apprentice and pays $100 per week. I wasn't comfortable at first with it and felt horrified at the thought of charging my child rent, but his dad insisted and said he needs to learn that he has to pay his way in the world..and now I agree. Our son was previously pretty disrespectful to us and our household but by getting him to pay board it seems to have changed his attitude a bit. I still wash and cook for him but he's in charge of making sure he has clean work clothes.
I suppose every child and situation is different so work out what is best for your house
i think working really matures them, being out in the big world.
I'm not going to be in the financial position to 100% support my 3 young adult/full time working children. Unfortunately they will need to make some kind of monetary contribution once they have a real income.
However, even if my circumstances were different I'd still ask that they contribute financially (even if it were a small amount) because I think there's a valuable lesson in it. I know too many people my age (myself included) who never learnt the fundamentals of managing their money as young adults because their parents let them go balls to the wall when they started earning significant amounts of cash. Thats how unhealthy, instantly gratifying habits are formed and they're really hard to break.
100 per cent agree.
My 18 year old son pays $50 a week. He only works casually and is studying at Uni. We are putting this money in a separate account with the possibility of giving it to him when he moves out.
Nope. They have been told once they finish school they will be $50 if working and study. $100 if working only. My son earns almost $30ph so it's a benefit to him. He saves most if his money and pays for his car, fuel, insurance and repairs. Then buys he extras if he wants them.