Why Allowance Isn’t About the Money

Allowance isn’t really about handing kids a few dollars each week. It’s about giving them a safe space to practice money decisions while the stakes are low.

When kids manage their own allowance, they learn firsthand:

• If they spend it all at once, they won’t have enough for what they really want later.
  
  

• Saving takes patience, but the reward feels bigger.
  
  

• Giving feels good when it comes from their choice, not yours.
  
  

Think of allowance like training wheels. You wouldn’t expect your child to ride a bike without wobbles at first and you can’t expect perfect money choices either. The key is letting them learn through small mistakes now, so they’re ready for the big ones later.

Allowance = practice, not perfection.