Question
I have 2 step sons, ages 12 & 13. My husband & I want to start giving them a weekly allowance, however we are not sure how much, & as to how to tie in with chores. We want to make sure they realize they have to do chores, keep school work up, be respectful, do as told, etc. in order to get their weekly allowance. We do know that we want to enforce10% to savings, 10% to church, & rest do as they wish. They have always been used to any money they received, went to their rooms & who knows where it went, how it was used, etc. My husband never monitored this (we have been married 4 yrs), so when the boys get in money, they keep it hidden & who knows where it goes. My husband & my family always pays for everything for them (things at school, school fair, stopping at store for drinks/candy, going to eat, anything they want basically). HOWEVER....when they go to their mother's for the weekend, they will "sneak" their wallets. They have to buy anything when they are with her. But this is ok, because Mom & her Boyfriend "have a hard time making ends meet where as we don't," according to the boys. When they are home, wallets never go anywhere, as they know we pay for everything. How should we monitor the money & teach them to keep track of it, since they have been used to freely spending & keeping it from Dad's eyes? Also, we had thought of doing a $ deduction from each weekly allowance, if they did not do what they were told, a certain chore, etc. And also, if they received an F or a D, they lose their allowance for a month? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
