….. she pays them small amounts of money for doing certain tasks — For example, she may sometimes say to a 12-year-old, “I’ll give you 50 cents to do the dishes” (meaning, HUGE stacks of dishes!) — But even so, the benefits overall outweigh a few quarters here and there. Also, they don’t get a weekly allowance unless they’ve done their chores; and the amount of the allowance is based on how much they’ve achieved in work and in school (homeschool). Bad behavior results in less of an allowance.

Not sure exactly how much the kids get paid for doing dishes, but I know it would cost a lot more to pay a maid! I think my sister does laundry just because she needs towels and clothes for herself, and “might as well throw in” some of her siblings’ clothes too, to make a full load — In other words, I don’t think she gets paid for it (not sure).

In the future, when my parents are old and need care, they won’t be going in a nursing home.