What is the average board paid to parents

Cassandra Fitzpatrick, a Sydney mother of three children aged 22 to 26, started charging board when her children got full-time jobs. Cassandra Fitzpatrick's son, year-old Marcus, says paying board has made him more responsible when dealing with his funds and knowing how to budget his money. There was no pocket money for chores. Chores were a part of family life and so was contributing to the costs of living, such as board. They pay for their toiletries. If they go to the shops and buy milk or bread, they never expected the money," she says.

Fitzpatrick says she doesn't need her children to pay board for financial reasons, it's about teaching them principles to live by. Sydney university student Ariana Norton doesn't pay board yet, but says her parents will expect her to start once she is working full-time and earning a steady income.

Cassandra's son, year-old Marcus, says paying board has made him more responsible when dealing with his funds and knowing how to budget his money. I pay for my own car, phone, internet, laptop and much more. I know people my age who have only recently started working and their parents still buy them most of the items they own and consistently hand out money.

It's not that my parents are being stingy or tight asses, it's them making me responsible and getting me ready for adulthood," Marcus says. Child and adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg believes if young adults are studying or doing an apprenticeship, it is counterproductive to make them pay board as most students have little or no money.

It isn't until they are working properly and still living at home that they should start contributing something, he says. Certified financial planner Tony Sandercock says the best ways to teach your children positive financial habits include setting a good example and giving them responsibility. Some choose to save the board money as forced savings for their child to get into the housing market, usually without their knowledge," he says.

Dr Michael Carr-Gregg believes if young adults are studying or doing an apprenticeship, it is counterproductive to make them pay board as most students have little or no money. When they have finished studying and are earning is the best time to start.

Once they start in the workforce, my view is that parents should ask for 10 per cent of their take-home pay each week. Some suggested secretly stashing the board in a bank account and giving it back when the son moves out. If he doesn't like it he can go and see how much it costs to live in the real world. Minimum chores would be cook dinner or clean up after dinner every night and mow the lawn and take out bins etc. She also takes out the rubbish and helps to mow the lawn. No arguments now once I showed him bills he would get if he moved out.

Cindy Bradford-Eccles: Yes it seems to be quite common these days! So it can be a good way to help them get ahead in life, if they save their money instead :. Wayne D Wells: a week would be a fair amount if hes getting everything done for him. He wasn't brought up very well in the first place if he has an attitude like that, any decent son would pay board and help out around the place without being asked.

Kick him out would be my advice. Kerri Flintham: What does that teach them, not a thing. But the consensus is that rent-free living isn't helpful for them or you. Many parents see charging rent as a way to help their children learn how to budget. When asked why parents are charging their kids to live with them, the fact that they're in full or part-time employment was the number one reason.

This was followed by the expectation that they are now an adult, and therefore should be putting their hand in their pocket for bills and rent. Teaching their kids how to manage money also scored highly, as paying a contribution will help them avoid a price shock when they do eventually move out for good.

But when the researchers spoke to parents in anonymised focus groups, quite how much the young were saving was a different matter. But the researchers found that in general parents talked positively about wanting to support their children.