When our son Luke declared he would only do chores if he was paid, it felt like a punch to the gut — especially in a household full of colorful chore charts, glitter-glued affirmations, and constant reminders about teamwork and shared responsibility.
Luke, usually polite and helpful, shocked us one afternoon when, faced with dishes from lunch still on the table, he looked us straight in the eye and said: “I only do chores for money now — that’s how Brandon’s parents do it.” Apparently, his classmate got paid per task, and Luke saw it as a business opportunity.
Instead of reacting with frustration, my husband whispered to me, “Perfect chance for a life lesson.” So we made a deal — but with one big condition: Luke had to write his own price list.
The next morning, Luke strutted into the kitchen holding a professionally laminated menu of services:
-
Take out the trash: $3
-
Load dishwasher: $4
-
Wash two plates: $5
He even added weekend “surge pricing.” Soon, chores turned into a full-blown entrepreneurial experiment.
Pretty soon, things got out of hand. He charged for hugs, homework compliance, and even quiet in the car. Our home felt like we’d set up small contracts with our own child — and honestly, it was both hilarious and terrifying.
Then came the second part of our lesson. We presented him with a “Parent Services Rate Sheet” — where every everyday act now had a cost:
-
Homemade pancake Friday: $7.25
-
Walk to school in the rain: $3
-
Hug before bed: $1.50
Suddenly life on invoice wasn’t as fun anymore.
By Sunday, Luke had a jar full of coins and bills he’d earned — but when he returned to the kitchen and said, “I just want things to go back to normal,” we knew the lesson had sunk in.
We talked with him about love, teamwork, and doing things because we care, not because we get paid. That night, we gave back every cent of his hard-earned allowance. The next morning, there were pancakes — no prices, no negotiation, just family.
🍽️ Luke still clears his plate — but now he does it because he wants to help.
And that’s a lesson worth more than any chore fee.
