Make Your Kids Pay for Arguing

Tired of the kids constantly talking back? Feel like it’s a losing battle? Children will often try to push their limits by refusing to do chores, homework, and anything they just don’t feel like doing. As parents it’s our job to help them learn that responsibilities cannot be ignored. The “Argue” Jar is a tool you can use with the whole family to help alleviate these back talking behaviors. During your next family meeting, talk to everyone about how you would like the arguing to be less in the house.  Get a large glass jar (Pickles or Olive Jars are a good size) and tell everyone in the family that from now on they are going to be charged to argue, yell, back talk, etc.

Discuss with everyone how much this is going to cost. If you have little children I would recommend 25 cents but for teens a dollar would be better. It’s important for them to collaborate on this. So if your kids say 1 penny, you come back with a dollar, until you can meet in the middle with 50 cents. Sometimes kids might say, “Well if I don’t have any money, then I don’t have to put any in there.” That is where you tell them that they would have to work to earn the money by doing extra chores around the house. Of course the children are going to ask what the money is going to be spent on when it’s full. Well a trip to Disney World would only be rewarding them for doing what you have been trying to stop them from doing in the first place.

Rather the money should go to a Domestic Violence Shelter, orphanage, or some other charity to teach your children about the importance of helping others rather than hurting others with our words. A really good way to get the jar going would be to end the meeting with you putting some money in it by admitting a time you argued with someone that week. For example, “I yelled at a driver who took my parking space at Kroger. So here is my money.” You have successfully modeled to your kids that you too are working on this as well. So grab a jar and the family and start paying your way to a more peaceful household.

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