Dear Vany
Junior Reporter Vanessa “Vany” Masterson answers her latest set of questions from Palisadian-Post readers. If you have a question you would like to send to Vany, email it to mypost@palipost.com.
Dear Vany,
Should a kid do chores for an allowance or just get an allowance without doing any chores?
Thank you,
Anonymous in 6th Grade
Dear Anonymous in 6th Grade,
In my opinion, a kid should not get a weekly allowance unless they are working for it. Parents give their kids money so they can learn the value of hard work, how to save it, and how to spend it wisely, all so when they grow up, they know how to be smart with money.
The thing is, in the real world, adults don’t just get money handed to them, they have to show up to their jobs on time and get the work done properly to be given a paycheck. If kids are learning how to save and spend money to prepare them for adulthood, why not teach them how to work for it too?
Getting money for chores is rewarding and motivating, and helps out your family, which is always important!
Thank you for writing!
Vany
Dear Vany,
Studying can be really hard for me, I can’t always stay focused and when I do study, it doesn’t pay off. How can I help myself?
Thank you,
Anonymous in 8th Grade
Dear Anonymous in 8th Grade,
Everybody is different, so while I don’t know what the perfect solution is for you, I can give you a few tips that may help your grades.
Most people say “Just Study!” but I think that piece of advice is too vague and harsh. Instead, for every 45 minutes of studying you do, take a break for 15. In this break, do something completely unrelated to school, and when you come back, your mind will be ready to learn again.
A thing to do while you’re studying that is often forgotten is to not just passively read, but highlight important information and make flashcards if you see something new that you don’t know.
This next one seems simple, but it can make all the difference: Make sure that where you are studying is quiet with little distractions around.
Something that can make studying even kind of fun is to make a study group chat with your friends, where you all have the same study schedule (ex. Math: Monday and Wednesday, History: Tuesday and Friday). In this group chat, you will all motivate each other to actually get your work done and hold each other accountable if you don’t.
Hope these tips helped!
Thank you for writing!
Vany