My kids do chores for pocket money says £2m winner
A MOTHER of three who won £2.3million on the lottery still makes her children do chores for their pocket money.
Charmaine Watson was on benefits as a single mum to baby son Ryan when she landed the jackpot in 2005.
She later married childhood friend Robbie, 49. The couple went on to have two children – Georgia, now 13, and Daniel, now 11.
Carpenter Robbie still works full-time and has refused to drop his hours because he wants to be a “good example” to the children.
Charmaine, 40, does charity work.
She explained: “I just want them to grow up as normal kids.
“We make them all do chores and they get pocket money for that. They can choose to spend it or save up.
“Even at a young age you need to show them that you have to work for money.
“Some weeks it’s £5, other weeks £10, it just depends how much they do.
“We try to keep the money the same as their friends because I don’t want them getting more – or less.”
Charmaine was given the winning lottery ticket by her grandfather, Albert Evans. When she splashed out £450,000 on a four-bedroom house, she made sure it was just a 30-second walk from her grandparents’ home in Eynsham, Oxfordshire.
She added: “They wouldn’t take a penny from me, so instead I was able to pay for the renovation of their home.
“Me and my mum lived with Gramps for six years so he was a father figure to me. Sadly he has now passed away.”
As well as the house, Charmaine bought herself a £42,000 Mercedes CLK, although she still has not got a driving licence. She said: “Passing my test is on the long to-do list.”
‘I just want them to grow up as normal kids’