How much Board do your kids pay?

[skater]

It has been a great debate though I have to say!

I've had a lot of fun with this thread. Sorry that it got pulled off topic though, Sparky.

 

[jaycee]

Jaycee, the thread went off topic a while ago now. I agree that to charge board, or not, alone will not be what gives some an entitlement attitude. The fact that this young girl does not pay board (and thinks it is her right not to) is not the reason that the thread went off topic.

I think you will find the thread went off topic (and that many had a problem with Mandy) was a combination of things.

Firstly it was stated that charging board was just wrong (OK, she is entitled to her opinion)

Then, we have the mention of not only was she not being charged board, but Dad was paying all her expenses, including the purchase & upkeep of the car, despite her having a job (still not too bad, as I know this happens, not frequently, but it does happen)

Move onto the dissatisfaction with the amount of money being given for gifts, and comparing it to what she has given (now we are moving into a very selfish, and "entitled mentatlity" - I'm entitled to receive $xx because I gave you $xx)

Then you get the crowning glory, with Dad greatly subsidising the purchase of the Duplex, and her saying that it is a "Shitty Duplex" and "a house would be better" AND that she thinks Dad should give an IP as well. (there you have it! I read this as "I'm your daughter, you should give it to me" )

This is outside of the realms of normality and a far cry from a young boy having a whinge about paying $20.

That's where we differ - your last sentence.

I think both will "grow up" or "grow out of it".

The amount she gave as a gift was her way of retaliating to people saying she would become a selfish person or whatever as a result .. she denied this would be the case & showed that, on the contrary she gave... in her own immature way of course, rationalised in a similar manner that $20 pays should pay for all expenses.... She metioned that she lent money to her mum when needed to show she had an idea of give & take, but of course it was shadowed by her way of putting it.

I just didn't get as worked up about it. $20 / wk is too much boy would have put up similarly futile arguments based on flawed logic if it came to it probably..

Anyway, I think board & helping out is a good thing - for most I'd assume it maybe one of the only ways to show kids as they grow.. (unlike those who dont have the successes that they can groom their children into and might choose to gorgo board payments for other lessons)

even housekeeping / chores.. it teaches responsibility and also basic skill but also that other improtant thing that I can't think of the name of right now....

 

[skater]

The amount she gave as a gift was her way of retaliating to people saying she would become a selfish person or whatever as a result .. she denied this would be the case & showed that, on the contrary she gave... in her own immature way of course, rationalised in a similar manner that $20 pays should pay for all expenses.... She metioned that she lent money to her mum when needed to show she had an idea of give & take, but of course it was shadowed by her way of putting it.

..

I agree with the immature part, but you do realise that somewhere in that tirade, she mentions that from now on, gifts to "non family" will be smaller because the people getting the gifts are not as generous as her family?
Even this part about gifts is not too bad, and some growing up could change the attitude (although if my kids displayed this kind of attitude they would get a swift kick in the pants).

The part you missed though is in my second last paragraph, whereby she is "Entitled" to receive a NEW Duplex for $200k, which will be less than 1/3 of the value AND thinks she should also receive a unit as well.

 

[Perp]

I'd be horrified if my 8-year-olds exhibited the sense of entitlement or level of self-absorption demonstrated in this thread. Comparing gifts is just reprehensible, and one of the many reasons why I don't consider cash an appropriate gift.

 

[skater]

I believe that charging board is a good thing, even if it is only a token amount. It teaches the kids that there is a cost involved in them living at home. It makes them less prone to thinking they are "entitled" to live at home with all the perks. It helps them to understand that when they do leave home, there are costs involved. I also think that it would be a good thing if they also paid a small amount towards the family utilites too. I don't do this, but know others that do. It would be a small reminder that there are other costs, and that when they do make that break out of home, they have to budget for this too.

Do I need that money? No! I never received family allowance, so have had to fund the costs of my children myself, so having them stay with me, once they leave school, is no extra burden. In fact, when the eldest started work, she felt it was her right to not pay board, but I reasoned with her that 10% would be required. I get $35pw from her. Not a huge sum. She also has 2 part time jobs & the money she makes from them, does not go into the equation, so is really only paying around 5% of her income.

When she started work, she gave away her skating too, which did surprise me since she was skating at International level and had represented Australia twice. She said that the cost of the lessons was too much (well, this I already knew, as I was paying a small fortune for her). The funny thing was, that I had told her that for as long as she wanted to skate, then I would subsidise the cost. Not pay it all, but subsidise it. She still decided that it was time to quit, because saving for a deposit for her own home was top priority now she was an adult.

 

[Hollie Murray]

My sister and I use to pay $50 a week.
At one time my mum, sister and I were planning a trip overseas and instead of giving my mum the $50 a week, we calculated how many weeks there were left to the overseas trip and ended up paying for her flight and I thought that was a good idea because if she would have only ended up dipping into her savings to pay bills etc.
Now that it is only me living at home, I still pay $50 a week but sometimes if i see a bill come in for the month i will pay for it with the board money.

Like a lot of people have said, if your son is lazy and doesnt help out around the house, I would say $80 is more then enough but if he pulls his weight around and purchases his own personal tioletries and occassionly purchases his own snacks etc then $50.

 

[kaiseriqbal]

I agree with Jayce.

Paying board as well as helping around the house is very important for the young adult in the household as it gives them a sense of responsibility which will help in future years.

Being 20 myself, I pay $1300 a month to my parents (earning $2100) and have to help around the household.

Since I am from a sub-continental family, I think its more in our culture to think of it as helping family out rather than boarding and to increase wealth as a collective with the family.

All my mates who are recent grads and are working pay around the $1K to $1.5K mark a month.

 

[Shaneelastic]

I pay 75 per week.

Even whilst im building a house i am still paying it. My parents both did it when they were kids.