Firstly i think every child should be responsible for certain chores. These things they should just do because it is their responsibility. Cleaning their toys up when they finish, making their bed in the morning and keeping their rooms tidy. These shouldn't be counted in their paid chores.

You can get a 4 year old to help out with a lot of things. Helping put the washing away, sweep the floor, set the table, clear the table. Then have a set amount every week. $1 per year of age works well ($4 for a 4 year old, $5 for a 5 year old).

Teaching him that he has to do certain things around the home like keeping his room tidy and cleaning up his toys teaches them to be respectful of what they have. Then if he wants something from the shop, like a toy, you can either make him save the full amount, put it on layby and let him pay it off, or even agree that you will pay half and he pays the other half. This teaches them the value of hard earned money and they learn very fast that things aren't cheap to buy.

My Sil gives her children an allowance in $$$ egual to age so 5y/o gets $5 a week, but to get it they have a list of daily chores, cleaning up their room, making the bed etc, really simple thinhs that should be done on a daily basis. If they want extra money (more so the older one) they need to do the extra chores to earn it. It is quiet amazing the stuff they volunteer to do to get some $$$. At one stage she was having to make mess for them lol cos they just wanted to do stuff all the time. (it was like $1 for drying dishes as an example)

Thanks for everyones imput.  I was thinking that on thing a day like setting the table, tidy his room and he would get $1 a day.  Nothing child labor like lol, no doing it for my benefit but for him to learn to respect what I do and respect his toys that he buys with his money.   Thank you again

I get the kids to help with jobs as I do them but they don't have set chores.  However I think it maybe the time to start.  One of my son's friends has just started - he is soon to be 5 - he feeds the dog every day and for that gets $3 p/w.  That seems reasonable to me.  WE have used desired items as incentive for ongoing behaviour before, but he has never had his own money and I think they need to learn that responsibility -  my son is 5.

I think your son is old enough to have some basic chores.  Things like tidying up at the end of the day, helping to take out the rubbish, sweeping the floor (you can get kids sized brooms now), setting the table under supervision. 

Responsibility for a young child can help to make them feel more grown up and can help to make them more responsible for their own toys etc.  Just wish my girls understood that theory though.

My kids don't take care of their toys very well either.  We gave them a tool set (toy of course) today, and already, 5 of the toys have been broken and 2 have had to go in the rubbish.

You say he is mature for his age....maybe you could start off easy, getting him to put his toys away after he has finished playing with them....or  maybe helpping Mum put some washing (his) away, neat into drawers.

Start off with a few little things and reward him for doing so, with what you see fit $$$$ or cents. He may surprise you.

I wish you well.

Regards Janice

We did not pay my step daughter an allowance and she did not do chores, for no other reason then I did every thing myself, and she is only with us every second weekend.. 

But when I first joined the family she would always with out a doubt ask for something when we went out, or if I left to go to the shop to pick something up....

I always asked her if she had the money to buy it.  And of course at that time she did not, so then I'd say I am sorry I only have enough for what we need... 

When she asked for me to bring back a surprise I would say "No because it is not a surprise if you ask for it..

I was actually surprised myself at how well that worked for her...  But I made the mistake one day of asking her if she had the money (she wanted Mc Donalds for lunch) and she said "Yes enough for every one".  It was just after she had been given birthday money....    We ended up having Mc Donalds for lunch, but daddy paid... :)

If you think he is ready then it is up to you.

Good luck...