Dad Makes His 6-Year-Old Pay Rent and Utilities–Is This Strict or Savvy?

Yahoo

19 hours ago

The kid's parents say it is a game, but it's not a joke.
Raising responsible kids is pretty much an objective win in most parents' books. But if you ask how you should go about teaching responsibility, that's where things get a little more subjective.
Specifically, teaching things like earning money and budgeting early in childhood can be seen as either smart or overbearing, depending on who you ask. And since all kids and families are different, how do we really know when responsibility should be a discussion?
One dad who shared his money-teaching method on TikTok is getting a lot of attention.
Never Too Early To Pay Your Dues?
"Come with me as I collect rent from my 6-year-old daughter on the first of the month," states @micael_talksmoney in a recent TikTok. The Texas dad, who appears to be a financial literacy expert, reenacts what he says is a monthly practice between him and his daughter, Rose.
In the video, we see dad knocking on Rose's bedroom door, requesting $3 for rent and $1 for utilities. The on-screen text reads, "Yes, my 6-year-old pays rent...and earns her paycheck."
Rose happily hands over the payment and says, "See you next month."
Dad goes on to explain that they are indeed serious about charging their daughter rent and utilities, and shows how the amount is organized in a "budget binder". He also demonstrates how Rose earns a certain amount by completing daily and weekly chores.
According to "Rose's Chore Chart", every task earns points, and she needs to hit 25 total points to earn a $5 allowance. $5 then equates to 30 bonus points that she can use to get ice cream or an activity book.
"It's not just about paying rent. It's about earning and learning," says dad. "This week, she hit 26 [points], so we pay her what she earned. She's learning about money now so she's financially savvy later."
Amused Commenters Deposit Their Own Opinions
In the TikTok caption, OP adds more about how the family makes the chores and earning a fun game, rather than a strict requirement for Rose. He writes that Rose loves it and is motivated to do tasks, knowing that there's a reward attached.
What do they hope she learns from this practice? First, that money is earned, not given. Then soon, they'll teach her how to budget, save, and buy things she can afford.
"Because learning to work with money at 6 means she won't struggle with it at 26, 💸" OP writes.
The comments, which have reached over 4,800 to this point, are full of takes and quips about the "landlord" approach to parenting. Many applaud the education strategy, while others feel like it's doing a bit much.
"wait i wish my parents did something like this 😭😭😭 financial literacy and comprehension is so important," writes one commenter.
"It's actually smart. She learns young. Knows the value of a $. Good smart parenting," agrees another.
Some decided to go the levity route with comments like, "If rent is that cheap at your house, do you have a spare room please? I need to learn about money too 😂😂😂," one person writes.
Others think dad needs to chill: "I understand the paying the kids for doing chores. My Dad did that with me but paying bills is just annoying. Let her enjoy being a kid. She has the rest of her life to pay bills."
A number of folks see it as an opportunity to not only teach, but do something cool with the investment on the back-end. For instance, one person offers, "it would be really neat if you guys did this until she graduates and then gift her the 'rent' money she had been paying as a graduation gift!"
Another person who's on the same wavelength shared, "Funny story.... friends did this with their teen. And once the teen grew up, got engaged.... they gave him every dime back so he could put his deposit down on his first home purchase."
In the End, Consistency Means More Than Currency
I think this is a fun and effective way to introduce principles of earning and budgeting to young kids. Sure, any parent can tweak things according to their own situation–and that's the benefit of home court advantage, so to speak. Once kids enter the real world, there is no leeway or "bonus points" for paying rent on time.
Is this teaching method a good fit for everyone at age 6? Probably not. But what's really important is implementing lessons that can be understood and impactful on their level, and investing in them long-term. Instead of being so focused on the perfect time to teach something and the perfect way to teach it, let's focus more on the consistency.
No matter when you start the lesson or how long it takes, continue it until your kid can swim confidently on their own.
Read the original article on Parents
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