How to Give Your Teen an Allowance

Video Transcript

"Hello, have you ever wondered how to set a an allowance for your teen? Well let's look at a few important points. My name is Dr. Felicia and I've worked with families, and teens for many years and how to do this. First thing you want to do with an allowance is make sure your child or teen earns that allowance, make sure that you have a set of rules that is clearly listed perhaps on the refrigerator or bulletin board as to what their expected for chores and what, why the allowance would be given. Once that's established make sure that you follow through so that if a chore isn't done you'll encourage them to do it, you supervise, and you make sure that it's done by the end of the week. Very often parents pull out away from allowances for various reasons and if that's the case, and you're inconsistent about it, it kind of throws the child off so after a while they lose motivation and they don't want to keep going. So please make sure that you're consistent and if you're going to give allowance then go ahead, and give it to them regularly. The other things with allowance is that you want to show them how to spend it. So along with the allowance that you allocate for specific chores, you want to make sure they spend it wisely. So go over the budget with them once they get an allowance, it's their, it's their choice but help them make a list to what's the priorities is to what they need to spend and then perhaps it can be allocated appropriately. But all that in mind make sure that the allowance is set with everyone knowing the rules, the child knowing how and what to do for the chores; for the allowance and then follow through and really pay them the allowance. All that it helps them in budget making and becoming a more productive adult. Thank you and good luck; Dr. Felicia."