Remember when you were a kid?
You would rake the leaves, feed the dogs, and take out the trash every single week.
What did you get in exchange?
Three square meals, a roof over your head, and a couple dollars to spend at the corner store.
Why?
Because that's just how life worked.
Oh how the times have changed, though...
The average weekly allowance is currently $30 a week. (That's $1,560 each year for just for being a living human!)
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, that number is up from $17 per week in 2016.
Now, about one-third of American kids don't get any allowance, but a good chunk of them are pulling in big cash just for existing!
Justin Worsham of The Dad Podcast has mixed emotions about it all.
"I think having their own money is such an important thing for kids. It teaches so many practical real life lessons with little effort. The allowance part, where it is money for nothing, is tough for me. I would prefer that kids have the opportunity to earn money because it carries more weight. Most things that are just given are treated with less respect compared to those things that are earned.
But it is almost impossible for a kid to get a job today. So as a parent you have to do a risk analysis. I think it is better to start teaching them to save and spend correctly through trying and failing more than it is worth the fight to get them a job while they are young. However, teens having a job should be important. Even college admissions personnel would agree. More and more colleges are appreciating a student who worked a part time job rather than fill their schedule with volunteer hours."
To hear more of Justin's take on allowance and other parenting topics, you can check out all of his stuff at The Dad Podcast.