POUND AND OUT
I make my seven-year-old pay bills – I’m criticised by other mums but I want him to learn young
BILLS are the bane of any adult's life - but imagine having to start paying them at primary school.
One mum has revealed she makes her SEVEN-year-old pay bills, describing it as a great "parenting hack".
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Molly, from Florida, : "It's something I've incorporated in my household for the past two months. It's been extremely successful."
But the idea has led to criticism from other mums, who say: "I don't agree with making him pay bills" and "Kids should be kids".
One commenter wrote: "Bruh let’s your child be a kid. He’s 7 and already having his childhood taken away. I get it teaches money responsibilities and stuff but he’s a kid."
While a second said: "I’m okay I’m going to let my kids be kids and teach them that when they get older. Those are valuable times to enjoy not be thinking about 'bills'."
And a third commented: "I'd start doing this when there 14 not 7 let them be a kid they have the rest of their life to deal with that man".
One person mocked: "Never too early to indoctrinate your kids into a capitalist hellscape".
While another mum said: "I think this is a wonderful idea, but maybe for older children. I personally don't agree with it starting at 7 yrs old."
So how does it work? Molly explains: "I have a seven-year-old, he has a daily task list that he must complete.
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"Should he complete everything on his task list, he gets a dollar (76p) per day.
"At the end of the month, he realises that he has bills to pay. Yep I said it... he has BILLS to pay.
"He pays those bills to me. He has his rent, he has electricity for his room and he also has internet for his iPad."
The task list includes simple chores like" make your bed, brush your teeth, clean your bathroom, put your dirty clothes in the bin".
Meanwhile the lad's 'rent' costs $5, electricity $2 and WiFi $2. That's $9 (£6.80) total out of a possible $30 or $31 (around £23) per month - less than a third of the total cash.
Molly adds: "He then understands that throughout the month he has two buckets. He has his 'fun money' and his 'bill money'.
"It is up to his responsibility to categorise his money and where he's going to put it into those buckets before the end of the month.
"I don't do anything with his money but put it right back into his savings account.
"It has taught him the value of a dollar and responsibility. I'm so pleased with the results, hopefully it's something that can help you out as well."
Molly adds her son has never failed to pay his bills and says most of his 'fun money' goes on Roblox.
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Defending the stance, one commenter said: "Is it me or is this not the same as an allowance but working for it?
"Why are so many people pressed about this. It goes it a savings account for him!"
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