Monthly allowance for 16 year old

[mrs_overall]

My daughter will be 16 shortly & is staying on at school in the 6th form. I give her £10 a week pocket money. I buy all her clothes, toiletries etc
She has asked if she can have a monthly allowance when she reaches 16. Out of this allowance she will then be responsible for budgeting for all her clothes, toiletries, socialising, school lunches etc.
I think it's a good idea but can anyone suggest what the amount should be?

[dotty.]

just read that she is visually impaired and is not expecting to be able to work, has she really gone into her options?

[Mamyalynne]

Dotty, a job would be ideal but MrsO has mentioned above that is not an option.

[Mamyalynne]

Sorry Dot did not go on to next page and read you reply, forgive me.

[dotty.]

I know there is a youngster working in our local asda at weekends on the customer servcie desk and he appears to be unable to see but he still handles customers queries and offers directions and infformation

[mrs_overall]

dotty, I mentioned above that she cannot find a job as she is visually impaired.

My other son is still at primary school so yes, I receive child benefit for him as well.

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions xx

[bushbaby_de]

I asked my parents to move me onto a monthly allowance when I was 16. I got the pocket money I had already been getting, plus my child benefit, plus enough to cover buses/lunches/clothes allowance etc. I would say at least £100 a month at today's prices.

[bednobs]

tis probablt sounds like a really rude question, so dont answwr if you don't want but if your daughter isn't expecting to be able to work, why is she doing A levels?

[hc4361]

That is a seriously stupid question, bednobs.
After her A levels and relevant training she will be able to work, but people with sight problems simply cannot walk in to the usual type of part time teen age jobs.

[bednobs]

sorry if it seems stupid but mrs o said "she is visually impaired so can't work"

[bednobs]

ok:) perhaps i just didnt read it all that closely

[hc4361]

dotty, not all people with a sight impairment are equal. Some can see blurred shapes, enough to get a sense of where they are in a room and a sense of direction.
Others can see light and shade, but not enough to distinguish shapes.
Some can see absolutely nothing and may be a danger to themselves and others in unfamiliar workplaces with insufficient training and support.

Heather Mills can ice skate but some amputees have real problems walking 10 steps. You really cannot generalise.

[hc4361]

Many employers looking for part time temporary staff do not have the facilities to safely insure an employee with specific needs.
It is a harsh reality that it would simply cost a lot more in terms of time and money. This is fine for a permanent position in a skilled job, but unrealistic for a temporary, part time job in a company that has a high turn over.
In my company we have blind and visually impaired people working on switchboard and data inputting (specialised equipment, obviously) and people with hearing problems working with computers and deliveries.
It is also true that colleagues have to be aware of their needs and adjust their behaviour accordingly. It is no good talking to a deaf person without getting their attention first, or waving to a blind person.

[mrs_overall]

Just an update on the vision situation:
We live in a small seaside town where jobs for students are very limited. hc1 hit the nail on the head - she cannot do a "normal" teen job (such as working in a chippie) because her sight is too bad.
Very few blind people have no vision at all - she can read normal print with the book to her nose.

Bednobs - it's a good job I am not easily offended! My daughter has a very high IQ and took 2 GCSE's at the age of 13 and achieved A* in both. She is predicted to gain another ELEVEN GCSE's at A or A*. Why on earth shouldn't she do A levels????? Should I take her out of school and send her off to be a piano tuner or basket weaver???
For the record, she intends to study Genetics and wants to aim for Oxford/Cambridge or Edniburgh and I have no doubt she will get there.

[craft1948]

Look Mrs_O...................just give her the money!

[mrs_overall]

lol!

I don't know how this works, but as I get older, I get poorer!

[DTCwordfan]

My view to - sounds as like she will be pretty responsible if she has that sense of achievement already......good on her. I did 13 plus O levels and didn't manage A in all of them - a reasonable clutch when converted from numbers to letters.

[mrs_overall]

Good on you DT!

It's lucky she has her father's looks and my brains, and not the other way around

[DTCwordfan]

Its what one of my daughters says now - mind you we have an 8 year old with an IQ up with yours - and she is already in the top 500 skaters in the USA.......future Brit soloist if she doesn't make the USA team (and she loves the sport - archery is her second string and she is deadly at that one too).

[mrs_overall]

wow, she must be good.

By coincidence, my youngest son (11 last week) took up archery in 2010 and he is very very good at it.
He joined the archery club with Mr O.....who has no talent whatsoever lol