"I'm saving you from yourself!"

This morning at 6 am the alarm went off. Kaye arrived at 7 and we headed over to the big neighborhood-wide garage sale at one of the higher-end neighborhoods here in town. The hope was to find some shorts, t-shirts, maybe a good book, maybe some cool kitchen gadget...

The boys were obliged to come with us this morning, which is no big deal. They totally get into the garage sale thing. What kid wouldn't like to root through boxes of toys for 10 cents and maybe find yo-yo for 25 cents? They gravitate toward the book boxes and the stuffed animals boxes too.

Today I imparted upon my kids the valuable skill of haggling. After my older son gave up a 5 dollar bill for a cheap water gun, I had no choice. Within earshot of the evil (or just greedy) person at this one garage sale I explained, first of all, that it's just not ethical, in the most basic way, to sell product samples they get from their employer for free. Secondly, child of mine, practice the art of thinking twice before paying a price that is higher than what you could get it for at Wal-Mart.

Nåja.

The kids now understand that if something is priced $1.00, you ask if they'll take 50 cents. If not, walk away.

That's my guideline anyway. There have been rare exceptions, usually when things are priced right in the first place, as in "All paperbacks, 25 cents."

Z wanted a bag of Legos. It was 4.oo. I was all, "NO. You already have more Legos than you know what to do with." He tosses a good reason back to me, "Yeah, but I don't have these jet fighter plane Legos." I resist his charming logic, "No, son, they are priced too high. I am saving you from yourself."

Suddenly a light comes on in his mind, and he approaches the nice lady of the house. "Will you take a dollar for these Legos?" I watched from an unattached distance at the other end of her driveway as she rewarded his request with a big smile and "Sure, honey!"

Z held out his dollar bill and received the bag of jet fighter Legos in exchange.

Me? One book. Coctail recipes. 25 cents.