Re: Family Life and Allowances
Julianne Hoppen (HOPPENJM@WHITMAN.EDU)
Thu, 7 Jan 1999 08:51:52 -0800
I have an opinion on this and all chores done by anyone!!!
>>> <WAHowland@AOL.COM> 01/03 1:05 PM >>>
<<snip>>
Can a boy get MB credit for regular chores if he receives allowance for =
them?
<<snip>>
thanks, Auntie Beans, for asking.
As a kid we weren't paid for chores, but then my mom stayed home all day =
and did most of them and was there to make sure we did the rest! We never =
went without the things we needed or even some of the things we wanted.
Now I have 3 kids 12 yr & 10 yr boys and 6 yr girl. the 12 yr old is "in =
charge" of his sister, but not his brother; 10 yr old is responsible for =
himself.
They have base chores: keeping the toilet, tub and trash cans under =
control and they rotate on emptying and filling the dishwasher, for NO =
PAY.
However, there are quite a few things that need to be done to keep the =
house from looking like a disaster in the making. Laundry, vacuuming, =
dusting for these they get paid. Any family that has kids do chores on a =
regular basis, deserves a round of applause, and it should go to the =
adults and kids alike. The act of doing chores instills respect of =
property, pride in self, and self discipline (just try to convince me and =
my family we'd rather be "choring").=20
If a youth already has the skills for another merit badge before he starts =
it we don't punish him by saying such things as "Well, since you already =
know how to prepare walls and paint them you will have to paint the =
outside of your two story house instead" so lets not punish the scout that =
has already stepped up to the task of regular chores. It wouldn't =
surprise me if one of the reasons for the Family Life merit badge was to =
introduce some Scouts to chores. I know I couldn't keep up with our busy =
schedule and work and the house plus time for my husband too, without the =
kids chipping in.=20
So, no, I don't think we are paying our boys to earn a merit badge. In =
order for it to be considered being "paid" it would have to be that the =
Scout didn't get paid for them before and the payments stopped at the end =
of the 90 days.
Julianne Hoppen
Cataloging Assistant
Penrose Memorial Library
Whitman College=20
hoppenjm@whitman.edu
