The boy was arguing with his father. It was nothing new; in fact the exercise was repeated almost every month. The problem was the same faced by many teenagers these days and similar arguments can be heard in most families with teenage children. They need more pocket money. The parents are reluctant or unable to give them more. “There has to be a limit. Why do children need so much money? We fulfil all their needs, provide them with food, clothes and a house to live in,” the parents contend. They are perhaps right. When they were young their needs were limited and so was the need for pocket money.
But now children are involved in so many activities and have so much to take care of that they are never satisfied with whatever amount they receive in terms of pocket money. After all they have to go out with friends, buy the latest CDs and DVDs, install new software on their PCs, buy Internet hours and cellphone cards, and pay for the various clubs they join and the fashion accessories they need to be included in the ‘in’ crowd. And all this requires money.
The children’s contention is: “where can we get the money for our needs, we can only ask our parents? And we cannot do without these things as everybody else has them.” They may be right but then a line has to be drawn somewhere. Parents have to take care of so many things; they cannot be too liberal with pocket money.
Perhaps it was because of this problem that the idea of summer jobs became popular in western societies. Even here, some children have started to try their hand at various odd jobs in their spare time so that they can supplement their pocket money. Not a bad idea, I would say, as long as your work does not affect your studies.
