Give Them Choices

A child in the 2- to 4-year-old age range can, for instance, can decide if she wants to wear red socks or blue ones, and the interesting thing, Fay says, is that choices provide boundaries.

For elementary-age children, in the 6- to 11-year age range, a list of age-appropriate chores—such as, Infeld suggests, putting dirty dishes in the sink or pulling up the comforter on the bed—can promote self-esteem and teach kids that “everyone does their fair share of the work in a healthy family,” Fay says.

As for older kids, junior high-age kids might benefit from learning the ins and outs of a weekly allowance (and aim to not come up short within the first one or two days after receiving it) and high school students who wish to drive the family car might be advised to contribute their fair share of car insurance to the budget. Then, what’s the best response when your child asks how much his insurance portion will be?

“Here’s the phone number,” Fay says, and then hand your teen your insurance agent’s business card.

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