A boy and his football shirt
By Jeannette | September 8, 2013
This was T on the last day of summer term, looking forward to the holidays, looking foward to earning some "chore money".
T had a plan for the duration of the holidays, he was going to earn and save up enough money to buy a new home football shirt. With his own money. It would be an eye-watering £57.94 as he wanted to have his favourite player’s name and number on it, together with the premier league badges.
All summer he’s been collecting 50p and £1 for little tasks done, he’d count all his money that he’d kept in his "Match of the Day" free wallet and then work out the permutations of when he’d be able to buy his shirt, based on 50p/£1 earnt per day.
And last Monday (2nd Sept), the day arrived, T had enough to buy his shirt. We went online and he choose the shirt and the details. Two-day delivery so he anticipated Wednesday or Thursday delivery. *Click, click, click* and the order was generated.
Wednesday came and with it, T’s first day back at school. No shirt, no despatch notification. The next day we received despatch details but by now, T was frustrated and anxious as it had gone beyond the 2-day delivery. Friday and we tracked it to find it had been sent to the wrong depot. T was extremely annoyed and wanted answers as to how and why this could happened. The logical and obsessive parts of his high-functioning autistic brain working overtime.
A tense weekend beckoned, offset by a trip to the bookshop, T’s other main interest – apart from football and related statistics – is reading.
Yesterday (Saturday) his shirt arrived. I wasn’t expecting it to and had pre-warned him not to expect it until Monday or Tuesday. He didn’t have a terribly good day, having fallen over and grazed himself and the games he participated in and watched resulting in losses.
He was delighted to receive his shirt and couldn’t get the packaging open fast enough. It made his day and all the anxiety around the delay seems to have been forgotten.
Here he is – grazes and all – in the shirt that he saved up all those coins for, his chosen name on the back:
A real achievement for him. Something that he’s earnt and saved up for, something that he can be deservedly proud of. He’ll always remembering buying his own shirt.
Definitely most a #MagicMoment and a #SmallStepsAmazingAchievements.
11 Comments
Karen on 8th September 2013 at 4:50 pm.
He’s done so well to earn and save up – what a crazy price for a shirt but the poll on his.face makes it all worthwhile.
Karen on 8th September 2013 at 4:51 pm.
Look on his.face. Damn you.auto correct!
Kim Carberry on 9th September 2013 at 5:00 pm.
Wow well done for saving!! It looks fab!!
Jaime Oliver on 9th September 2013 at 7:16 pm.
awww Jeannette this is so so lovely!! how fantastic that he worked hard for his money and got that satisfaction of buying it himself.
Thank you for linking up with #MagicMoments x
Cathie B on 9th September 2013 at 9:18 pm.
He looks fab and he should be really proud of himself for saving so hard 🙂
Coombe Mill on 10th September 2013 at 12:30 am.
My children save for special things too, it makes them cherish them and look after them more. Well done your son.
Colette on 11th September 2013 at 11:09 am.
Wow what a huge achievement to save up so much money – you must be very proud. I can only imagine how frustrating it was for him not to have it arrive as quickly as he had hoped when he had worked so hard to get it!
#SSAmazingAchievements
Nicola on 11th September 2013 at 3:24 pm.
That’s lovely. What an achievement for him to have earnt and saved up all that money. Such a shame the delivery was delayed – it’s hard enough for us as adults to accept a delay, let alone a child!
pinkoddy on 11th September 2013 at 7:49 pm.
What an achievement – and especially having to wait past when it was meant to turn up, as I know how difficult he must have found that.
Mary @ Over 40 and a Mum to One on 11th September 2013 at 8:19 pm.
Bless him, that is so lovely. Bet he treasures that shirt too.
Jane on 16th September 2013 at 9:56 am.
I love that your teaching him how to save up for things, a very big part of life. I can imagine the issues with the waiting, we are just starting to experience this. He looks so proud of his new football shirt. Well done T.
Thanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
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