LLBS used to get $10/wk ($20 each payday, every other week) but we just cut it down to $10/per payday. She wants to be on a competitive dance team along with theater class, and violin(fiddling). She said she'd give up part of her allowance to help pay for it.
She does laundry, helps clean garage out, mows the lawn (with dad's help), picks up the dog poop, etc. Plus during the school year she has to get herself ready for school and get to the bus stop without messing up and having mom or dad come home to pick up the pieces. (That means come home to wake someone up because they aren't answering their phone in the AM )
We're seeing how this goes....
And LL I don't think you paid the kids too much. That seems to be the going price around here for teeange help.

LBS

we might adopt that idea......................

kids, work, what's that?

With the boy it was easy to potty train....just toss some Fruit Loops in the toilet and tell him to take aim....

Room and board.

Then again, he is just shy of 4, so he isn't up on doing too much yet except pick his cars.

+1.

They are given opportunities to earn extra with other tasks around the house/yard, but the basic chores are expected free of charge.

Some neat responses, starting with PH and going down the list...

As more than one person mentioned, their mess is their responsibility.
Their room, their games, putting their cloths away, making their lunch, etc...

Scott, pretty cool making the boat project part of the deal.
Especially since it was fun & work at the same time.
I am sure cleaning the mess in my garage was not as rewarding for my kids
– but they learned some things and had a little fun.

HB, probably the closest to our system.
But, we throw a “rate” out sometimes (like this time).

FatDog, yes, it is amazing how things pile up.
I can’t believe I have a floor to look at now.
Sorry, can’t FEDEX them out
I have thought about rerouting the attic fan more than once – but haven’t added a duct yet.
Strange, the exhaust air doesn’t seem humid – just hot.
I don’t think I have shortened the life of any tools or electronics – not that I know of anyway.

LBS, you are right, I guess I didn’t pay too much for the help.
And it was nice to have the boost to clean the garage & nice to see them working hard with a goal in mind.

Thank for curing my curiosity everyone – as usual many different responses w/some common themes.

BTW, they didn’t know, but they would have had a new DS game sometime before we go on our “road trip” vacation next month
They are great kids (if I say so myself) and we don’t mind spending a little on them.

I've steadfastly resisted doinging what most of my kids' friends' families do, which is to pay them per chore, pay them X amount for each grade in school, etc. As I've told my kids many times, they are not employees and I won't have that kind of relationship even get started.

My job as a father and a member of a family is to love them, provide for them the best I possibly can, and always be there to support them in every way. I would lay down in traffic for any of them and I believe they know it. I expect nothing in return except to behave in good faith as members of a family.

Their job as children is to help in as many ways as they can given school responsibilities, not complain when asked to do something - because we don't ask them to do much, and make the absolute best grades they're capable of making in school, for their sake, not ours, and expect nothing in return.

In our role as parents, we also must understand that they want and need some spending money - so we give it to them whenever we can, in addition to just paying for as many things of theirs as we can.