Managing Allowance During Summer Break: A Parent's Guide

The school year has structure. Summer doesn't. For many families, that means chore charts get abandoned by mid-July. It doesn't have to be that way.

The Summer Challenge

Without school schedules, several things change:

• Wake-up times vary wildly
• Daily structure disappears
• Kids have more free time (and want to fill it with screens)
• Parents need more help around the house

Adjusting Your System for Summer

1. Add Summer-Specific Chores

Summer brings opportunities: yard work, helping with vacation prep, outdoor cleaning. Consider adding seasonal tasks at higher values.

2. Increase Base Expectations

With more time available, kids can reasonably do more. Increase the mandatory quota slightly for summer months.

3. Create Daily Anchors

Even without school, establish consistent times: morning chores before screen time, afternoon tasks before dinner.

4. Consider Summer Goals

Summer is perfect for bigger savings goals: a new bike for fall, back-to-school items they want, or vacation spending money.

Maintaining Momentum

The key is consistency without rigidity. Keep the core system running, but be flexible about when tasks happen.