The 2025 report of a company that deals with the financial education of children shows that activities such as reading or sports are increasingly included by parents in the list of paid tasks. The phenomenon raises an essential question for education: does the money that children receive for finishing a book help them form a healthy habit, or does it risk turning reading into a mere transaction?
Paying to read: useful incentive or risk for intrinsic motivation?
Psychologist Anne Josephson believes that teaching children the value of money is a lesson that will help them for the rest of their lives. Financial rewards can work as a starting point, especially with young children or those who need structure. Paying can help create a routine and reinforce the link between effort and result.
The specialist warns, however, that there is a real risk if the reward becomes the only motivation. When the child associates reading exclusively with obtaining an amount of money, interest in the book may decrease when the financial incentive is lacking. Reading, experts say, is an activity that should also be supported by cultivating curiosity, not just material rewards.
Rewarding children for household chores is not a new practice. For years, parents have offered pocket money for washing the dishes, taking out the trash, or walking the dog, activities that directly contribute to the running of the household. The difference is that now the reward shifts to activities like sports or reading. And paying for personal development tasks can be confusing because it externally reinforces behaviors for which we ideally want internal motivation.
What children learn about money and the value of effort
Some parents start from the idea that a financial reward can be a catalyst: you pay at the beginning, you create a routine, and over time the behavior becomes a habit. Emily Bly, clinical psychologist, CEO and director of Psychology Partners Group, explains that this scenario is possible, but not guaranteed. There is also the risk of sending the wrong message.
“My concern as a parent would be that by monetizing personal development, we could be basically conveying to children that being alone with their thoughts and feelings is a chore, or that reading or brushing teeth are behaviors that only occur if they are paid for,” says Dr. Bly.
The psychologist adds that the stake is deeper than simply forming a habit: “We want to raise children who not only tolerate discomfort, but learn that they have the power to influence their emotions and that taking steps to feel better is a reward in itself.”
On the other hand, Anne Josephson refers to a pragmatic aspect: “I know very few adults who like to exercise, even if it makes them feel better when they start doing it consistently.” The question remains: if the financial reward disappears, will the behavior remain?
Should children be paid to read or to do chores?
The decision whether or not to pay children for tasks – whether domestic or developmental – ultimately depends on each family's values. However, specialists point out that there are strong arguments against the monetization of these responsibilities.
“It reduces the intrinsic motivation to complete tasks and can send the message that participating in household chores is a job, not a shared family responsibility,” explains Emma. Basch, psychologist. In other words, if every contribution is paid, the child may come to perceive involvement in family life as a service rendered, not as a form of belonging and cooperation. In addition, says Emma Basch, financial education does not necessarily depend on paying for every task. “A weekly summation, with discussions about savings and spending goals, and money and financial habits, will help kids understand how their parents think about finances,” she explains. The focus can be on conversations and planning, not on rewarding every behavior.
Dr. Josephson suggests alternatives to direct payment. Parents can use other forms of reinforcement: “Instead, you can use praise ('You did really well'/'We're excited about how you chose to handle this'), or give them access to certain privileges (being able to choose the movie or stay up later), or let them skip something they don't want to do unless it's essential,” she says.
The important thing is that the reward really matters to the child. “They can also earn other little things that act as a form of exchange. For example, they can get a sign on a table for each day they read, and after a certain number of signs, they can turn it into a toy,” explains Dr. Josephson. “Basically, it still involves money, but it's not a direct payment for every activity.”
