[originaltext] [19]An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how

[19]An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget, save and make their own decisions. Children remember and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly. How large an allowance is appropriate? Experts say there is not right amount. Actual amounts differ from region to region, and from family to family. To set an appropriate allowance for your child, work up a weekly budget. Allow for entertainment expenditures such as movies and snacks. Next, include everyday expenses such as lunch money, bus fares, and school supplies. "If you make the child responsible for these ’bills’," says Josephine Swanson, a consumer specialist, "he or she will learn to budget for necessary expenditure." Finally, add some extra money to make saving possible.[20]If you can, keep your child’s allowance in line with that of his friends. A child whose purchasing power falls away below his peers can feel left out. It can be tough, but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance.[21]Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied directly to a child’s daily chores. Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family. You might, however, pay a child for doing extra jobs at home, which can develop his or her initiative.
19. What is the passage mainly about?
20. What do the experts say about the appropriate allowance for a child?
21. What do experts advise?