allowances for high school children?

Anyone ever tried giving allowances to teens in the summer? I'm looking for some guidelines. I'd rather give them an allowance than dish our cash at every whim.

Fortunately they have jobs so they can spend their own money, but we still end up handing them cash fairly often.

What's worked for you?

Let's see...I used several approaches to my teens when it came to handing out money...

Sometimes, I'd act like I had amnesia when they approach me with their hand stuck out...

"Ahhh...you, big boy. You are??? And that skinny kid standing next to you. Who is he? Why are you kids in my house. Go away. I don't know you...Police! Help! Robbers!"

Okay, this only worked one time. Smart kids.

Then there's the "Yo kids!" where you slap their hand rapper style when they stick it out...bone up on your various rapper greetings though if you intend to use this one. You know...like after you slap their hand, throw yours in the air and say, "to the sky!" then drop it behind your back and say, "can you go low?" and so on...and so forth...

Oh and one of my favs...When the little stinkers come at ya with their hand out and smirking, grab it, and immediately start doing your best Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers routine...waltz across the floor draggin' um with ya, kick your legs up and as loud as you can, belt out, "Singggggging in the rainnnnnnn...Oh singinggggg in the rainnnnnnnnnnn...what a..."

They will leave the room---no make that premises so fast it would rival a space launch.

Teenage boys DO NOT want to associate with parents. Especially their Mom. AND ESPECIALLY one that acts...ahhh...goofy?

Embarrasment is a REAL thing to them. They would die if their friends saw the dance routine.

Or...you could just give them twenty bucks and say, "this is good for two hours of peace and quiet, right?" and send them on their way.

Now...is there anything else I can help you with? Hmmm?

Lord...seems like all I do nowadays is give advice...first here...then there...sigh. I do what I can. It ain't easy being a Queen.

JJ

Once I was able to stop laughing picturing JJ dancing across the room Ginger Rogers style I decided to post. My sons would say I was a tough cookie when it came to money and they would be right. Each had certain small chores, garbage, dishes into the dishwasher, picking up their rooms and making the beds. For this they were awarded $20.00 each week. NOW the part that was of benefit to me as well as them was...I would make a list of things I wanted done, like mow the lawn, weed the garden, clean the dog runs, clean my car, empty the vacuums, sweep the drive-way and or the basement and on and on. When the boys came to me for extra cash which they did often (at first) I would say get me a red pen. They complied and I would say, "okay now go read the list on the garage door and pick a job, each has an amount of cash behind it you can EARN when you do that job. It was soooo funny to see them trying how to get the most money and they had to do the job first and perfectly, no rush rush jobs. Worked great, they were happy and I was thrilled and the best part is these jobs needed to be done every week....