Switching From Money Rewards: Keep What Your Child Already Earned
By Erik Nilsen · Kroni6 min read
Anything your child earned under the old agreement still belongs to your child. A new agreement only applies from a set date onward. Money already earned is either paid out as you promised, or it stays as dollars until your child decides to use it. You can offer to swap the old balance for something else. If you do, your child gets to choose and can say no.
This keeps the switch tidy. Your child also sees that agreements hold, even when the adults want to change them.
Why you need a clear line between old and new
Many families start by paying dollars for chores. Later they decide they would rather reward with time together, a choice at the dinner table or an outing. That is a perfectly reasonable change. The trouble starts when the new rule is also applied to the old balance, and $15 suddenly becomes "15 points" or "one movie night."
To a child, that can feel like something is being taken away. The fix is simple:
- The past: Anything earned or promised before the start date follows the old agreement.
- The future: Chores done from the start date onward follow the new agreement.
- Keep the unit: The old balance stays in dollars, so everyone knows what it means.
If you want to compare different kinds of rewards before you decide, read Reward Systems for Kids: Stars, Points or Money? What Works Best.
Step 1: Write down everything that was promised
Sit down together, ideally with your child there, and make a list. Include:
- Balance that has been earned but not paid out.
- Chores that are done but not yet approved.
- Promises in progress, such as "$5 if you wash your bike before the weekend."
- Savings goals your child is working toward, and how much is set aside.
- Spoken promises you remember. If you're unsure, include them anyway.
The point is not to count every cent. The point is that your child sees nothing disappears in the switch.
Step 2: Explain the new agreement and the start date
Say it plainly. For example: "From November 1, you won't get dollars for tidying your room anymore. Instead, you'll collect toward things we do together, like picking Friday dinner or an extra game night. What you've already earned is yours."
Pick a date a little ahead, about a week out, so promises already in progress can be finished. Write the date somewhere everyone can see it.
Also decide what stays as weekly allowance, if you have one. Some families only remove money for individual chores and keep a fixed weekly allowance. Others do the opposite. What matters is that it's written down. Necessary expenses such as clothes, food and school supplies remain the adults' responsibility either way. They should never depend on the reward system.
Step 3: Settle or keep the old balance
For dollars already earned, you have three clean options:
| Option | What happens | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| A. Pay out | You give your child the amount in cash, to a bank account or through a mobile payment app | Your child wants the money now, or you want to fully close the old agreement |
| B. Keep as dollars | The balance stays, labeled "old agreement," and is used whenever your child wants | Your child is saving toward something |
| C. Voluntary swap | Your child is offered the chance to trade all or part of the balance for a reward under the new agreement | Only if your child wants to, and the offer is at least as good as the dollars |
Option C is the one most likely to cause friction. Make it an offer, not a requirement, and drop it if your child hesitates.
For more on helping kids see a balance as something that belongs to them, see Balance Explained for Kids: Goals, Mastery and Money.
Filled example: Sara (10) switches from dollars to shared experiences
Fictional example. Amounts are illustrations only, not recommended rates.
Old agreement: $2 per dishwashing, $3 for the weekly room tidy. New agreement from November 1: Chores earn check marks. 5 check marks can be used for "pick Friday dinner," 8 for "movie trip with a grown-up."
| Item | Amount / status | Option | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Earned, not paid out | $14 | B: Stays as dollars | Sara decides |
| Dishes done Oct 29, not approved | $2 | Approved at old rate | By Oct 31 |
| Promise: wash bike before the weekend | $5 | Finished under old agreement | By Oct 31 |
| Savings goal: headphones | $18 of $45 | Kept, saving continues in dollars | Ongoing |
| Swap offered | $4 = movie trip | Sara said no | None |
Sara ended up with $21 under the old agreement and $18 in her savings goal. From November 1 she collects check marks. The two are never mixed.
Transition worksheet (copy and fill in)
Child: ______________ Start date for new agreement: ______________ What the new agreement gives: ______________ What stays the same (for example, fixed weekly allowance): ______________
| What was promised or earned | Amount in $ | Option (A / B / C) | Deadline | Done |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ | ||||
| ☐ |
Voluntary swap offered: Yes / No Child's answer: ______________ Signed by adult and child: ______________
Put the sheet on the fridge until every line is checked off.
Common pitfalls
- Converting the old balance automatically. It feels like changing the rules after the fact.
- Calling old dollars "points." Keep the unit. $14 is $14.
- Changing the deal in the middle of a promise. Let promises in progress finish under the rules they were made with.
- Forgetting the start date. Without one, it's unclear which rule a chore belongs to.
Keeping track in the app
In Kroni, a chore can be paid or unpaid. Your child marks it done, and an adult approves it if you've turned that on. Rewards are the ones your family has agreed on. When the agreement changes, update the chores from the start date, for example from paid to unpaid. Keep check marks on the sheet; Kroni does not convert them into rewards. New activities can be added at a price of 0, with an adult checking the agreement before approving the request. A reward priced above 0 is deducted from the virtual balance at approval, so check the price before spending old dollars. The app doesn't convert dollars into anything else, and it doesn't pay out money. You handle real payments yourselves, outside the app. Then reduce the app balance by the amount paid, with a note, so it isn't counted twice. You can have several savings goals at once, so a goal from the old agreement can sit alongside new ones.
Plan for this week
- Today: Fill in the transition worksheet with your child.
- Tomorrow: Decide on the start date and write it down.
- Before the start date: Approve finished chores and complete promises in progress.
- On the start date: Pay out whatever your child chose to have paid, and begin the new agreement.
Frequently asked questions
- Do we have to pay out everything our child earned before switching systems?
- No. You can pay it out, or leave the balance as dollars until your child wants to use it. What matters is that it doesn't disappear or get converted without your child agreeing.
- Can we offer to swap old dollars for an experience?
- Yes, as long as it's a voluntary offer and your child can say no without any consequences. Make the offer at least as good as the dollars, and write down what your child chose.
- What about chores done right before the start date?
- They follow the old agreement. Approve them and count them at the old rates, even if the approval happens after the new agreement has started.
