Skip pocket money...just give kids screen time

PLAIN old pocket money is no longer enough to get children to help out around the house.

Instead, parents reward them with treats such as extra screen time, add-ons for video games and more phone data.

A study of 500 families with children aged 12 to 16 found that 84 per cent offer alternative rewards. Some 56 per cent of them say it stops children spending all their money at once, and the rest say it is cheaper.

The most popular treats are extra screen time on phones or tablets, chocolate or sweets, purchase power in video games such as Fortnite, having friends round, shopping trips and later bedtimes.

The research for Sky Mobile showed that, on average, youngsters complete four chores per week, including setting the table, washing up and loading or unloading the dishwasher.