Parents pay children less pocket money because of recession

One in four parents has cut the amount of pocket money they give their children as a direct result of the recession. The average child between 4 and 15 gets £5.80 pocket money a week, but 24% of parents admit they have reduced the amount they give their children. Seven out of 10 parents expect their children to help around the house in exchange for cash, from tidying their own rooms to mowing the lawn.

Around 38% of children regularly save the money they receive, with 35% having a savings account and 58% keeping their money in a piggy bank. Children in London get the most pocket money, at an average of £7.81 a week. Boys typically get more money than girls. They are more than twice as likely as girls to receive between £16 and £20 a week, but they are also more likely to spend it in days.

The majority of parents surveyed said they have had the financial equivalent of the "birds and bees" conversation with their offspring, discussing where money comes from. You can never start financial education early enough, and this approach is by far the best way to teach children good habits.

FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS, ANSWER QUESTIONS A, B, C.

A. Answer the following question using your own words. (10 to 20 words)

What do children have to do to get pocket money?

B. Are the following statements true or false? Indicate the line(s) in the text supporting your choice.

• B1. 70% of children are expected to help their parents at home in order to receive their allowance.
• B2. Children in Britain save their weekly money under the bed.
• B3. Girls in the U.K. get more pocket money than boys.

C. Choose a, b or c in the question below. Only one choice is correct.

Kids’ pocket money has been reduced in Britain…

• a) due to earthquakes.
• b) due to the weak economy.
• c) because of their teachers.

COMPLETE TASKS a, b, c, d ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN.

• a) Complete: “If he had had some reason to explain his behaviour…”
• b) Put into the passive: “Jonathan gave the children a book for their birthday last month.”
• c) Transform into reported speech: “Children, don’t waste your pocket money on useless things.” Begin with: “Their mother advised…”
• d) Write a question for which the underlined words are the answer: “It takes me three months to save up for a computer game.”

VOCABULARY

Find one word in the text for each of the following meanings:

• a) a period of general economic decline
• b) cutting down the grass with a mechanical device

Find synonyms for each of the words below:

• c) acknowledge
• d) assist
• e) manners

WRITE ABOUT THE FOLLOWING TOPIC USING BETWEEN 90-120 WORDS.

From what age do you think children should start receiving pocket money and what do you think they should have to do to get it?