When I was younger, my parents would ask us to do chores during summer time. My sister and I hated it but the thought that we were going to be paid for it was good reason enough to flex those muscles. I did much of the work while my sister just stood there to watch over me. I know it was not fair but at least, we can buy that ice cream whenever the ice cream van comes around.

Now that I have teens myself, I fume whenever I see them in front of the TV all summer. I just feel is a complete waste of time. I tried to offer them the same arrangement but they would just scoff at one dollar for every work done. Alas, either one dollar is not enticing as it was before or my kids are just plain lazy.

In my frustration to get them off the boob tube, I searched the internet for ideas to get my kids involved in productive time which will also offer them the chance to save a little before the school year starts. Here are two suggestions that I would like to share with you:

1. While Away Services

Summertime is out-of-town time for many families. This is a great opportunity to help them care for their household while they are away. The services should take the minds of your clients from an unattended household. I am sure they will be willing to pay for this type of service if only they can have that peace of mind. The services could include:

Pet care/sitting

Watering plants

Taking in mail and newspapers

Cutting the grass

Taking out the trash or recyclables

Checking outside perimeter, doors, rooms and windows

Ask your kids to prepare a fee schedule with charges listed for each service. Make sure that your kid establishes a reasonable hourly wage i.e., $6 to$8. Help them to calculate how long each service would take so that they can charge accordingly.

The key here is to get the word out. Flyers will do the trick. The flyers can be designed by your kids themselves so it becomes more personalized. Just be sure that the flyers have the details that their clients are looking for such as the type of services, the cost per service, availability and where they can contact them.

2. Playtime for Young Children

Instead of going to other people's homes to babysit, why not invite young kids to come over for some playtime.

Children love to be with other children. They want and they certainly need the interaction to improve their social skills. Rather than being alone in a house, they can be with other kids for some great playtime. I am sure moms would love this idea!

Advertise by distributing flyers in your community. Tell moms about the service and the value they and their children would get from it. Tell them the schedules – an hour to two would be a great time. Include in your flyers the schedules per day. Three schedules per day would be optimal. Charge $2 to $4 per child per hour.