13 years, 10 months.

Dear Jack,

For the past couple of weeks, you had been researching and informing Mommy of “the new limited edition Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 in reverse olive shoes that are going to be dropping on Saturday, September 28th…”

You explained that there were certain websites where you could “enter the draw” for a chance to be selected to buy a pair of the shoes for the “starting investment price” of $150.

The inspiration in buying these very limited shoes was that your goal was to resell them as an investment; since you already had the intel that they would instantly rise in value. You easily convinced Mommy to try to buy a pair of her own to “invest in” as well. She even rescheduled her hair appointment to accommodate her availability for the event.

So you both woke up early last Saturday morning to be ready for the draw and double your chances of winning a shot to buy the shoes.

Unfortunately… neither of you were selected in the draw to purchase these $150 shoes (which, as you predicted, quickly increased in value to $455).

The next day, I happened to be walking by Mommy who was about to hit “pay now” for a different pair of $150 Nike shoes that you really liked “just to wear, not to invest in”.

With you standing right there next to her, I casually said out loud, “So Jack just gets these new shoes he wants… because?”

She responded, “I think? Maybe?”

I sealed the deal, explaining to you:

“If you weren’t a such a good kid, it would be different. But you are! Your grades are high. You’ve learned to make new friends at your new school and even took on the challenge of joining the football team… and you are wanting to go to church; we’re not dragging you there. So I say, you get the shoes. Because we are proud of you for the decisions you are making and we trust and support you through this often confusing time in your life.”

While that may or may not have been the right expert-approved thing to say in that moment, it’s how I feel in my heart.

I recognize you are a good kid who is learning to make your own choices when your parents aren’t around. That’s a big deal and it’s important.

That means you get the cool Nike shoes you want for your 8th grade year: The Nike Skateboarding Dunk Low Alexis Sablone Chameleon shoes that change colors from green to purple as you wear them in.

While it was certainly the most money we have ever paid for a pair of shoes for you, I thought back to my own 8th grade year which was 30 years ago. Nonna drove an hour to a different town to buy me the Nike Air Raid 2 shoes that I wanted so badly. And that she bought them for me, not for my birthday or for Christmas, but for “being a good kid”.

Adjusted for inflation, I know she spent at least as much on me for those shoes. So I guess it’s a bit of a tradition in our family.

Your childhood consisted of years of collecting stuffed animals, Hot Wheels, and Lego sets.

Now that you’re a teenager, it looks like it’s going to be unique shoes, an iPhone, and a PlayStation 5 with Call of Duty on your “must have” list.

Slightly more expensive than the toys you cared about a decade ago, but that’s okay.

Because I see you as an investment. I want to raise a well-balanced, innovative, confident son who will grow up to do amazing things on his own.

And I think that means making sure you have cool shoes in 8th grade.

 

Love,

Daddy