Pay Day at the Traub House

It is good to be one of the Traub boys today.  It's payday.  Some may be singing It's Friday Friday Friday, but these boys have earned their dollars so it's Payday Payday Payday.  I told them that they only get paid when Papa gets paid.  I told them that Papa has to work for two whole weeks before he gets paid.  That is how the world works when you have a job, and so they get to work and earn their dollars too.

We are actually pretty loose with how we run jobs in this household.  The goal is not to teach my kids to work so they can earn money.  That is just a means to get to the real goal which is to learn good habits for living in a community.  Our community is pretty big, so this is even more important.  About every 6-8 weeks our list changes.  As I have observed behaviors has habits that are sticking those things come off the list and new things are added.  Each having a certain value to them, thus the earning of income for the boys.

 At the end of each day, around our kitchen counter, inventory is taken on what was accomplished. Eric is the only one who puts a "post it" note on the frig of his daily earnings.  Then the dollars and cents are allocated.  This is fake money.  Each boy keeps track of his earnings, I double check and deposits made into their applesauce containers.  No real money is exchanged until pay day.

 Here is our list, that is on the frig. that the boys help me put together at the beginning of the school year.  I love that they helped with this list.

 This next list are some larger dollar and cent items.  I love each day how a boy will scan the list and choose a new thing to do.

Years ago I was asked how I "do" allowances and chores and I really did not have an answer. I personally do not think kids should be paid to be part of a community and helping. i want my kids to learn to be responsible and helpful in our home because it's how we serve each other. That is why once a habit of behaviors is mastered it comes off the list and new things are added.  I use to have things like "put shoes away" "put belt on and tuck in shirt before school" "hang up coat"  These kinds of things would be worth 5-10 cents, but once mastered there is no longer a need to place a value on it.   Interestingly enough the boys have never noticed that their habits are growing and the changing list does not ever change their desire to keep learning and trying.  They are getting an allocation of little monies for learning, for trying, and for rienforcing how we work in our home together.

So today, those fake coins and dollars turn into real ones.  They get excited and next week the list will change again and new things will be mastered.  Like I said it's good to be a Traub boy in this house today.