It's that time of year again. Makes me almost want to go into hiding. Every year about this time I am harassed by some kid's parent who is selling stuff I don't need or want. Right now it's Girl Scout Cookies, but in a few minutes it'll be wrapping paper -or- chocolate bars -or- those caramel Turtle things -or- some tchotchke to benefit the school band -or- well, you get the point. Maybe if I had kids I'd see this through a different lens, but I don't so... . I really just want to be left alone.
But, ya know, there's no way out of this without seeming like a grumpy old b&*^%. There's no explanation I can give for not wanting to buy whatever your kid is selling because, of course, it's helping some super-important cause and how could I refuse? Not wanting what is being sold apparently isn't a good enough reason. And it's only a few dollars; I won't even miss it, right?
This time that old adage really is true, though: it's not the money, it is the principle. I don't want what you're selling. And I don't want it repeatedly because everybody with a kid is selling something. (And why is the parent selling it anyway? Isn't this supposed to be some kind of teachable moment for the kid? What are you doing?)
I feel like I'm being robbed. I know a lot of people with kids and I'm being hit up all the time and nobody really cares how I feel about it (said tearfully).
Lately I've started to put my foot down...kinda. I really don't want the "stuff", so I just give 'em the money and say --with a smile-- you can keep the cookies/paper/chocolate...whatever it is. But guess what: some people are offended at that, too. I can't win...though I kinda do because I just treat it like any random donation, and I don't end up with a bunch of stuff I don't want. I don't know why I didn't think of this years ago.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who feels this way
2 comments:
I dread the door-to-door selling time of year, too. And they also show up at the grocery store and other places, too. There's no getting away from them. Fortunately, I have gluten allergies, so I can plead food intolerance as my excuse for not buying the cookies. At least with the Boy Scouts selling popcorn, they have a send-a-tin-of-popcorn-to-the-soldiers option, so it never enters my house since they send it to the soldiers directly.
You are not. Although I think the tradition of Girl Scout cookies is very nice and I like to support positive things, I too, hate the pressure to "buy" so I don't seem like a mean ol' spinster! LOL
There's always the assumption that I have extra cash and I should give it to them. I have a bossy older sister. Her daughter was selling stuff for her school (the school happens to be in a rich area, I do not live in a rich area). My sister basically said "You WILL buy something". No asking, just demands.
I also don't do sugar or wheat so I really, really don't want their products. They are not healthy for me at all and I wonder why they cant' sell something I'd actually want.
This reminds me of another pressure point when it comes to kids. I manage a small building and one of the tenants put up a basketball net on the street. I HATED IT! Not because kids enjoyed it because it was ugly, it created constant *thump*thump*thump* all the time. It irritated me and I did not think it belonged on a residential quiet street.
I told her and she relented but let it later slip that "people who don't like the kids skateboarding (the skateboarding created large crackling noises) or basketball HATE kids"!!! I defended myself and said "I don't...I just like a quiet street".
So, yes, I hate this pressure to do this and that for kids that we don't want to do and then be labled as a "child hater" because of it. It's not right.
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