how my daughter learned to “negotiate” her chores
My daughter hates doing dishes. Last week, she came to me and said, “Dad, if I take over grocery shopping this month, can I skip dish duty?”
I could’ve just said yes or no, but instead I treated it like a real-life business deal.
We sat down and listed out the value of each chore — dishes, grocery shopping, laundry, lawn mowing. We talked about time, effort, and even the “market rate” if we were to hire someone to do it.
She realized grocery shopping actually took more time than dishes, so she countered: “Okay, I’ll do shopping AND meal planning, but you owe me $10 for the difference.”
She got the $10. And without realizing it, she learned how to quantify her work, understand trade-offs, and negotiate for better terms — skills that will matter far more than whether the plates get washed tonight.
Sometimes the best way to teach kids about money is to let them run their own tiny “economy” at home.
#Finance #Family #MakeMoney #LifeSkills #Parenting