I'm raising my child to be independent. I pay her $2.70 a week for chores, and she has her own debit card.

The author started paying her daughter for chores when she was 5. Courtesy of the author

I give my 6-year-old a weekly chore list and a small allowance.

It's helped build her independence and money skills early.

Some parents disagree, but I believe life skills should start young.

I started paying my daughter for chores when she was 5.

Having outgrown a star reward chart and having ticked off the tasks needed to get ready for school, we introduced chores as a logical next step.

Every week, my daughter has a small list of jobs . So far, they've included feeding our cat, making her bed, mopping the kitchen floor, and setting the table for dinner.

When these chores are completed, she gets paid every Saturday.…