As for the 13-year-olds who we fear will become mercenaries, think about how it could play out in our own homes. We may think we have some pull over our kids if chores are tied to an allowance. If they don’t do the chores, after all, they won’t get the money. But what happens if they decide they don’t want or need the money? Chances are, we’ll make them do the chores anyway. So why pay for them in the first place if these chores are ultimately mandatory in any event? There are plenty of other privileges we can withhold if kids aren’t getting their chores done in a timely fashion. (Driving that
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