Charging Your Teenagers Rent -- The Arguments for and Against

It is one of the great parenting divides -- equal in stature to the debate about breastfeeding or bottle feeding, to spank or not, and ideas about whether kids should go to private or public schools. The debate over whether to teach kids about money by charging your children rent is a practical issue for some parents and a matter of principle for others. While some simply need kids that are earning their own money to contribute to their upkeep costs, others see it as important for teaching kids about money before they move out. Today we are looking at the case on either side.

Charging your children rent: the arguments for

• Children learn that money does not come for free
• They experience the truth that if you consume things, you must pay for them
• They can be better prepared for life outside the home
• It contributes to the parity and wellness of all family members

Most of the single arguments that believe charging your children rent revolve around the fact that teaching kids about money is a good thing, and the earlier they learn life's lessons, the better. This is a good point; your children will eventually be forced to pay rent or be kicked out onto the streets, and often the lessons learned in childhood are the ones that stick with us for life. If children are earning money (through chores or from a job), it seems reasonable that they also contribute to their own upkeep. However, that is certainly not all there is to the arguments!

Charging your children rent: the arguments against

• Many people believe that if we choose to bring children into the world, we are financially responsible for them until they are independent
• The age and earning capacity at which to charge rent can seem unfair
• Children can be forced to grow up too quickly and lose the halcyon days of childhood
• The lessons don’t necessarily translate to the application

One of the main arguments against charging your children rent for staying at home is that until your kids move out, they are your responsibility. They didn’t choose to be born (as they will no doubt remind you at one stage during teenagerhood).

Another telling argument from the parent's point of view though is that teaching kids about money through charging them rent doesn't always translate into action later in life. In fact, sometimes it does the opposite. Speaking form personal experience, I felt that charging me rent was unfair, when I was paid abysmally for the chores I did around the house ($1.20 for making dinner, when buying a small meal from McDonalds cost $3.95) and had never had any money to myself anyway. There were never any extra chores available to do, and I wasn't allowed to get a paper route -- so I simply resented being charged rent out of my government benefits when I went to the university at 16. Not feeling that I had ever had the money to treat myself earlier in life led to quite an irresponsible attitude later, trying to correct the situation! Obviously every case is different … but do realize that in trying to teach your kids about money, you may teach them something you don’t intend.

Three Most Common Ways for Kids to Make Money

As all of us who have bills and financial obligations know, there are two sides to the money equation: income and outgo. It seems like a simple fact, but kids have to realize what is involved in getting money before they can understand the value of budgeting properly and saving their money! Here are three of the most common ways that kids can make money and become entrepreneurs, and some points for parents to remember about each of these.

Kids' money making idea #1: Lemonade stand

It is the oldest trick in the book, and most adults realize that the customers aren’t buying lemonade because they like the taste; they're buying because they want to encourage kids in their first money-making ventures. The kids think they're making money from lemonade -- you know they're making it through cuteness!

Positive: Lemonade stands can be set up right in front of your house, so are a relatively safe way to make money. Lemons or lemonade mix are easily accessible, and kids can be wholly responsible for creating their own product.

Make sure: You teach them about food safety before you let them loose on the public. Citric acid may be a good antibacterial, but grubby hands can contaminate cups and make people sick. The money kids make from a lemonade stand may not be as high in some areas, also -- warn them about disappointment.

Kids' money making idea #2: Car washing

Your kids can either wash your own car for money, or knock on your neighbor's door and offer their services in order to teach your kids about money.

Positive: A nice healthy outdoor activity, and a way to right the karmic balance considering the mess they usually make!

Make sure: They are old enough to be safe. Tell them not to go into anybody's house, even if they seem nice. Help your kids make money fairly, also -- ensure they know enough about quality management (don’t leave streaks or water spots, etc.) to do a good job for the money they charge. Explain how this is in their business's interests.

Kids' money making idea #3: Babysitting

Generally one for older kids, babysitting is an old standby. Your kids can make money babysitting their younger brothers and sisters as well -- better than letting a stranger in the house!

Positives: Offers a very necessary service. Most adults cannot afford adult wages for babysitting, so there is a mutual need for kids to make money form babysitting. Your kids could also be parent's helpers in houses before they are old enough to do babysitting, playing with other children to occupy them while parents get work done.

Make sure: They are old enough and responsible enough to do this properly! Other people's kids are generally pretty important to them, as is their house. Your kids making money is less important than safety or people and property.

Teaching a Child Responsibility through Sound Money-Saving Practices

We all want to teach our children financial responsibility from an early age in order to allow them to become financially independent adults. Now it is easier than ever to teach a kid about the importance of saving money and by working hard, the future of a kid's financial well-being is ensured. The Responsible Allowance is a unique computer program designed to facilitate shaping young kids into responsible individuals.

There are many ways for kids to make money, such as a part-time babysitting job, getting a personal allowance for completing household chores, snow shoveling, mowing grass, delivering newspapers and more. The software program is designed to be easily used by kids ages 7-18 and helps teach financial responsibility. It can be used easily from any computer with internet access.

The Responsible Allowance software program also allows a parent to monitor a child’s daily chores, homework assignments, grades, goals, achievements and more. The program takes the guesswork out of a kid’s daily activities and helps save money. A parent can now teach a child to be a responsible, thoughtful person -- and who doesn't want that?

Teach a child money responsibility now for a more secure future as an adult and you as a parent are going a long way towards equipping your child to be a responsible, financially independent adult. The software program provides reassurance for parents in the way of password protection and login security, which are unique to Responsible Allowance software.

The program has master controls for parents and shows a bi-weekly or monthly calculation of allowances and shows the child where their money is being spent. With an automatic calculation of savings and teaching a child to make better decisions, the kid learns responsible time management skills and can experience a closer relationship with a parent.

By teaching a kid the importance of saving money and being responsible now, a parent is doing their job to raise a conscientious adult. It is very important to instill in children the ability to make their own sound decisions from an early age and with Responsible Allowance software it is now possible. Never take for granted that your child will learn these things on their own -- it does not happen unless a parent gives them every advantage possible and with this software you are doing just that.

Finding the Right Balance Between Childcare and Work

It is a reality in the world we live in today that most households require two parents working to make ends meet. Families all over the United States face the unique challenges that come with this dynamic and it can be difficult to find the right way to balance family, work and other everyday responsibilities. That is until the “Little Helper” entered the picture. This unique software program has allowed parents and children to find a way to achieve the perfect balance and the household to function more smoothly.

Little Helper is a child software program which is designed to alleviate the stress and uncertainty of not knowing what a child is doing while the parent is at work. No matter how good a parent or caregiver may be about keeping track of a child’s daily activities, there are times when schedules are tight and communication is garbled. It is at a time like this when Little Helper proves itself to be an invaluable tool and keeps an accurate log of a child’s schedule. Little Helper is an innovative software program which will tell a parent when a child last ate, when the last dose of medication was taken, when a diaper was changed, how much food or formula was consumed and much more.

For working parents all over the country, Little Helper provides the reassurance and peace of mind that a child’s needs are being attended to and taken care of. Gone are the questions and confusion that come from trying to fill in the blanks -- with software like Little Helper any family can rest assured in knowing that they will know what is going on at any time with their child.

The child software program features a unique list of features that most parents find very comforting. Such features include; sleeping and feeding logs, random note screens, parental instructions, guardian/authorized pick-up information, supply lists and a calculator, waiting list, medical information, photo matching, memo/mail system, daily child printout log, reminder feature, printable food and activity schedules, daily timers and much more. The tool has proven itself to be invaluable to parents and day care providers alike and takes the guess work out of daily child care responsibilities.

Little Helper child software is an invaluable tool which has proved to be innovative for parents who are trying to find the delicate balance between child care, work and home life. The software fits into any lifestyle and is a bonus for those families who utilize this unique tool.