As a working mom, or really as a mom at all, none of us know what we are doing and we struggle to find the time to figure it out. At the end of the day, I would rather binge watch “Virgin River” then put together a chore chart and figure out if I should be giving my kid a cash allowance or teaching him how bank cards work. Why don’t they give us a manual for parenting??
I was taught growing up how to manage my money from a very young age. My parents gave us the money that they had budgeted for clothing and haircare and fast food in envelopes for us monthly to understand what it meant to have a budget. It was the money they were spending anyway and they were transferring the responsibility to us.
I wanted something for planning that I could glance at and that my son (at five years old) didn’t have to read a lot to understand what he needed to do. I also wanted it to be in a spot that I saw on the regular and was a hub for organizing that portion of my life.
In comes a 1Thrive organization board. I saw it on Instagram and reached out to them to share it with you guys! The cool thing about what they offer is it’s customizable and holds different options so that it fits your family well. I went with the Brooke organizer and I have been floored by the ease of putting it together and the quality of the material! The boards work exclusively with the markers from 1Thrive and they go on easily but can be removed with a wet rag in seconds.
I found magnets on Etsy that I could customize to the tasks that would be placed on the board. The summer heat messed with the first shipment and the etsy shop owner had a fixed set out to me the same day that I contacted her. I love the simplicity and neutral look of the magnets!
Deciding what type of allowance to do for your kids is tough. There are some things that I decided are tasks that we simply do because we are a family. He brushes his teeth, feeds the dog, clears the table, and cleans his room without monetary value for each of them. However, we are a team and at the end of the week if he has consistently done those things and been part of the team, he will get his weekly allowance.
For some things that I might pay other people for if they aren’t done or are skills that I want him to pick up because they will benefit him in life (laundry…), I put a monetary value again the completion of those items. I’m counting down to the day that he can mow the lawn!
At the end of the day, the amount doesn’t matter and it is going to vary per family and as he gets older the things that are “bonus” chores will become things that he does as part of the team. Do what works for you! This is simply what is currently working for me. I reserve the right to adjust as there are always unforeseen circumstances in parenting.
Having things that my son can do to earn money and learn to save that money for the items that the wants allows for two things:
- I can budget the money that is spent on toys and “extras”. It’s up to Eli to earn that money and I know what the max is for the month.
- It teaches my son to work for a goal. Between birthdays and holidays, I often feel like my son doesn’t know what it means to work for and look forward to something. This accomplishes that.
I’d love to hear what works well for you and your family! Comment here or connect with me on Instgram at @hackingtheworkingmom.
Hacking the Working Mom 