The FamOwl Blog

Notes from the nest

Practical, no-fluff guides on chores, pocket money, and getting kids to actually do things — written by a dad who builds a chores app and tests everything on his own family first.

Chores by age: what kids can actually do at 3, 5, 8, 11 and 14

A realistic guide to age-appropriate chores — what to expect, what to skip, and how to level kids up without a fight.

7 June 2026 · 6 min read

Should kids be paid for chores? What the research actually says

Paid, unpaid, or hybrid? The evidence behind allowance, work ethic, and motivation — and a model that avoids the usual traps.

7 June 2026 · 7 min read

How to get kids to do chores without nagging

Nagging is a system failure, not a parenting failure. Here's the five-part system that replaces it.

7 June 2026 · 6 min read

Pocket money in New Zealand: how much, when to start, and how to run it

A Kiwi parent's guide — sensible amounts by age in NZD, chores-linked vs unconditional, and cash vs points vs cards.

7 June 2026 · 6 min read