Summer Chores
Dear Frankie,
Before summer began, my parents and I struck a deal:
I’d earn my allowance by handling chores like taking out the trash, watering the garden, and keeping an eye on Ralph, our new puppy, a few days each week. But this summer turned out to be a scorcher, so I’ve been out there with the hose almost every day.
When our old grill finally gave up, Dad replaced it with a shiny new one, and suddenly we’re hosting endless barbeques, which means mountains of trash for me to haul away.
Meanwhile, Ralph has become more active by the day. The only things that calm him down are swimming laps and epic hikes.
When I asked my parents to double my allowance for all the extra work, Dad asked if I would have asked to have my allowance cut in half if it rained all summer, and Ralph just snoozed and watched Lassie reruns. I don’t know what I would do; all I know is I have worked more this summer than I expected.
Sandy
Dear Sandy,
I understand you think you should be compensated for the extra work. But you agreed on a price to do the chores. Once an agreement is made, it is understood that you will do whatever it takes to complete the work for the agreed-upon price.
Next time you contract to do a job, you might first agree upon the number of hours you will work on each chore, and if it takes more time than that, you will be paid an agreed-upon amount per hour.
In your situation, you might ask your parents to consider a bonus for doing a job that was harder than either of you expected. This will allow them to be generous and you to be grateful for being rewarded.
Best, Frankie
© 2026 Geneva Woodruff
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