[Reading level: B1 – Intermediate]
A survey by Barclays Bank (London) found that 67% of children in the UK receive pocket money for doing household chores, and 74% of parents believe this helps children appreciate the value of money.
The survey results have sparked debate on social media, dividing opinions into two main camps. Some support the idea of paying children, arguing that it helps them understand the connection between work and money. Others worry that it sets a dangerous precedent.
Charlie Carter, a 12-year-old girl from Fulham (London), earns £10 ($13) per week in pocket money from her father, Richard, a 44-year-old businessman, by doing household chores.
She receives different amounts depending on the difficulty of each task. Richard Carter has even set up a formal service contract with fixed rates for specific chores. Charlie can also earn an extra £10 when she performs well at school.
However, Richard often paid very slowly, which frustrated his daughter. In the end, she had to buy a card reader to make sure he couldn’t “avoid” paying her.
Karen Simpson, 42 years old, living in Inverness (Scotland), does not give pocket money to her two children, aged 9 and 12, for doing housework. She asks them to make their own beds, wash and put away their clothes, prepare lunch, clean up after dinner, take out the trash, and take care of the pets.
“I don’t want my children to think they should be rewarded for everything they do. These are the responsibilities of every family member,” she said.
Karen only gives rewards when her children do heavy work. For example, her son helped his father fix the fence all day, so the whole family took him out for ice cream to recognize his effort.
David Paton, headmaster of the private school Radnor House Sevenoaks (Kent), believes that children need to learn to be good people without seeing it as a transaction.
“Children should understand the importance of contributing to their family, community, and society without expecting a reward,” he said. David suggests that paying children for simple chores like putting away dishes or tidying up their room may lead them to grow up thinking they should only help others if they’re paid.
At the same time, he believes that parents should teach children to appreciate success for their own sake, not just for rewards.
Jo Hayes, founder of the etiquette training platform Etiquette Expert, supports giving children pocket money. “It’s pocket money,” she explained. Children might not enjoy doing chores, but these are essential life skills.
She emphasized that rewards motivate children to work and help them understand that hard work is rewarded. Earning weekly pocket money also gives children a sense of achievement and teaches them how to manage money.
Jo encourages letting children freely spend their pocket money to learn about spending and saving. She also suggests that cutting off pocket money is a simple form of punishment when children misbehave.
She recommends that the amount should vary depending on age and the difficulty of the tasks. Specifically, from USD 6.50 to USD 19.50 per week for children under 10, and from USD 19.50 to USD 32.50 for children aged 10 and above, with extra rewards for bigger tasks like washing the car.
Dr. Patricia Britto, founder of the psychological consulting platform Modeeps, warns that children might stop helping when the financial reward is no longer offered. The Harvard Grant Study by Harvard University (USA) shows that people who did housework as children tend to be more successful in their careers and relationships.
“In the end, the decision should be based on family values and the skills they want their children to develop,” she concluded.
Source: https://vnexpress.net/tranh-cai-co-nen-thue-con-lam-viec-nha-4861533.html
WORD BANK:
pocket money /ˈpɑː.kɪt ˌmʌn.i/ (n) [B1]: tiền tiêu vặt
household chore /ˈhaʊs.hoʊld tʃɔːr/ (n): việc nhà
appreciate sth /əˈpriː.ʃi.eɪt/ (v) [B2]: trân trọng
spark sth /spɑːrk/ (v) [C1]: khuấy động, khơi mào cái gì
debate /dɪˈbeɪt/ (n) [B2]: cuộc tranh cãi
divide sth into sth /dɪˈvaɪd/ (v) [B1]: chia cái gì thành cái gì
camp /kæmp/ (n): luồng ý kiến, phe phái
set a precedent /set ə ˈpres.ə.dənt/ (phrase): tạo tiền lệ
contract /ˈkɑːn.trækt/ (n) [B2]: hợp đồng
frustrate sb /ˈfrʌs.treɪt/ (v) [B2]: làm ai bực bội, thất vọng
fence /fens/ (n) [B1]: hàng rào
transaction /trænˈzæk.ʃən/ (n) [C1]: giao dịch
contribute to sth /kənˈtrɪb.juːt/ (v) [B2]: đóng góp vào cái gì
for one’s own sake /seɪk/ (phrase): vì bản thân
etiquette /ˈet̬.ɪ.kət/ (n) [C1]: quy tắc ứng xử
emphasize sth /ˈem.fə.saɪz/ (v) [B2]: nhấn mạnh
a sense of achievement /ə sɛns əv əˈtʃiːv.mənt/ (phrase): cảm giác thành tựu
cut off sth /kʌt ɔːf/ (phr.v) [B2]: cắt, dừng cái gì
misbehave /ˌmɪs.bɪˈheɪv/ (v): cư xử không đúng
psychological /ˌsaɪ.kəˈlɑː.dʒɪ.kəl/ (adj) [B2]: thuộc về tâm lý
consult /kənˈsʌlt/ (v) [B2]: tham khảo, tư vấn
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