Autism and Managing Money

I touched on this briefly not too long ago, but my son is learning about money.

What is he learning?

He’s learning that our money is not his money.

He’s learning that—in reality—he doesn’t have any money. We have money to buy his food and clothes and school things and lots of other things, but there are times when we have to say “no” due to the money not being an endless pit.

He’s learning that he’s not going to get everything he wants because we’re simply not going to pay for everything he wants.

And, he is learning this the right way.

What is our “right way?”

My son asked for a couple of “big ticket items” recently. He was interested in getting a gaming computer. He also wanted to attend an expensive Super Smash Brothers convention.

Unfortunately for my son, this is the time of year when we’re not interested in paying for un-necessary big ticket items since it’s many months from Christmas and his birthday (which is in February).

He was told that these requests are not in our budget at this time.

Being our only child, our son is a bit spoiled. Yet, he doesn’t get everything he wants.

He has been told this. He says he understands it.

Still, at his age, we need to make sure he knows the difference between our money and his money.

He has shown signs of understanding the difference by occasionally spending his own money on things.

We’ve discussed other things about money.

Like what?

There are some kids his age that get a part time job.

(However, this begs the question can and/or should a child with autism get a part time job at his age?)

And, what about the hours he needs to accumulate as volunteer hours for his school requirement?

And, should he always try to get some extra dough from other sources (grandmothers, for example)? I suggested offering his services to work for the money from his grandparents.

This is yet another layer added to a fifteen-year-old who is only getting older, not younger. His life is getting more and more complicated by the day.

It’s about growing up and adding more responsibilities. It’s about becoming an adult.

And, it’s about parents trying to do the right thing. Teach, and pave the way.

Autism and Managing Money