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Ahh… the life of a youth pastor’s child...

So, this week has been an exciting one for our big boy Ayden. Each summer we allow Ayden to pick one camp that he can attend for a week. Because Donn has done some coaching over the years for one of our local private schools, Ayden gets a 50% discount for camp. Being that we are independently wealthy (ha), we gladly welcome the 50% discount and look forward to Ayden’s week of fun!

This summer Ayden picked karate camp.

After the first day of camp, Ayden came home with a list of items that could be purchased. Uniforms, tee shirts, you name it…they had it. As a mom, I was ready to buy him everything on that list. My fellow moms out there probably understand the feeling. I could picture my adorable 6 year old in his karate uniform and I could already imagine the page in his scrapbook. However, the budget just didn’t allow for it and I resigned to the fact that my child was having a great week at camp and would survive without all the “extra” stuff.

So, needless to say, I was surprised to walk into “graduation” today to see Ayden wearing a Karate t-shirt. For a moment I thought maybe the instructors had given them away (probably feeling bad for my child who seemed to be about the only one without a full uniform); but then I noticed one other child who had no karate gear on so I realized that couldn’t be the case.

As soon as I could, I pulled Ayden aside and asked him where he got the shirt. He smiled and said, “I bought it!”

“Honey, I know what they were charging for those t-shirts and there’s no way you had that much money…how did you pay for it?”

“I did pay for it Mom! It was cheap! Just one dollar and nine cents!” To which he scampered off into his Karate lineup.

At the end of graduation; after watching my son do jump-kicks and punches galore; I went up to the instructor and asked how much I owed for the t-shirt.

The sweet woman looked at me and said, “Oh no…you don’t owe anything. It is our treat for Ayden.”

“That’ s very sweet,” I said. “But I’m happy to pay…I wasn’t aware of the fact that he wanted a shirt so badly.”

To which the instructor said, “No, really; this is our treat. You see, when we asked the class if anyone had been planning on purchasing a uniform, Ayden immediately raised his hand. He then walked over and said, I need a small and here’s my money. When he pulled out a Buzz Lightyear wallet, I asked him if this was his money from his piggy bank. He said yes and I would like a small please. He then handed me one dollar and nine cents. It was the first time in our 18 years of this camp that a child has ever brought their own money for something. We all thought it was so great that we said, here sweetie we can’t give you a uniform, but have a t-shirt.”

So, needless to say; I’m feeling a bit like a loser today. :)

My poor kid; the ‘first kid in 18 years’ to have to pay for his own t-shirt at karate camp! :)

Then again; he is a youth pastor’s kid…

You never know; maybe there’s something to this ‘cute kid with the Buzz Lightyear wallet act’…

Do you think it works for mortgages? :)