.... its really up to you.
How old, are your kids?
Are they expected to buy their own things/toys/goodies, for example?
And if so, then how and with what money?
"Allowance" per say, is also something that "teaches" a child about money management. Of course the parent, has to teach them. Kids nowadays, learn all of this at earlier ages. ie: budgeting, how to allocate their money, doing charitable "donations", saving for something special, saving for just saving overall, etc.
So an "allowance" can teach them these things. Me and my Hubby teaches, our kids these things.
And if they have other money streams, like money received from Birthdays or Christmas, then that is all a part of their "savings."
Allowances can also teach kids about actually having, an account. Custodial accounts etc. And the process, of how money is saved or spent etc.
For us, we have recently started giving our kids allowance. It is not for doing "nothing." My kids, do chores. They always have. It is NOT tied, to their allowance. Because, chores and helping in the house is something ALL family members do. Not because you get "paid" to do it. It is just a part of doing, for your family and helping. And chores is not something that only the kids do, but then the Husband doesn't have to do it nor the Mom. ALL family members, has household responsibilities, in the home. Its not "fair" if a kid is supposed to do chores, when a parent doesn't do it either. For example. My kids know that.
However, if my kids don't do what they are supposed to do... ie: homework, studying, chores, behaving nicely, keeping up grades, then they do not get their allowance. They know that too.
Allowance in our house, is that they receive half, of their age.
So say your kid is 6. Then the "allowance" would be $3/week.
Or you can do it monthly. Or bi-monthly.
For us, an "allowance" SERVES TO TEACH our kids, about money management and about where it goes and why.
And we teach our kids that.
And they use their money, wisely. They even use their own money to buy their friend's Birthday gifts.
Giving our kids allowance, is not gratuitous. And my kids don't have an attitude about it. They know there is a criteria, for it.
If you attach allowance, to "chores." Then, the next question is: is EVERYONE in the home and family, doing chores too? In many homes, the Husband doesn't even do anything. But the kids are expected to and to pick up the slack. For us, it doesn't matter if a person works or is at home... EVERYONE has RESPONSIBILITIES in the home. Chores. Upkeep of the home. This is not tied, to allowance.
But if you connect chores to allowance, then, you should all get "paid" to do them. Too.