by Bee Rock

Created on: July 04, 2008

Oh No! The dreaded door to door salesman. Sure, it's easy to be rude to a guy in a tie selling you a vacuum cleaner, or that annoying cable guy trying to close you on a Triple Play. But what happens if its little Tommy next door? How can you be rude to them? Turn of the lights and hide? That is not the answer.
Kids are cute...They want to sell you stuff at your door. Cookies, while great are bad for you. Magazine subscriptions? Who wants them? There are a million reasons not to buy. You can go inside and lock your door, and hide from them like a scared rat in his hole. But while you're huddled under a blanket in your bedroom cowering and hiding from little Tommy what is going through your head? Do you really have any self respect? How does this help? What are you going to accomplish in life if you don't know how to respectfully turn down a kid selling candy or collecting cans for his wrestling team?

Let these little money mongers down gently. You don't have to be rude. Whatever it is that they're selling, (even if it's no soliciting signs) tell them that you have no use for it. If its cookies and candy or some other kind of sweet, tell them that you're watching your weight. You don't have to even make a rejection hurt. Give them a referral to someone you know that does need what they're selling.
If its magazine subscriptions, tell them that you already have as many magazines as you need. If we lie to kids at our door, what is our own integrity level? Be honest, be real. Kids will learn a valuable lesson if you do, how to take rejection. Rejection is not as bad as the common person thinks. It's very valuable. It starts with us though. Running from little Tommy is not the answer, being real absolutely is.
Say "You know what Tommy? I appreciate you as a person. I think what you're doing is really powerful and will help you out as you get older with skills. The time just isn't right for me right now though. It's all about timing. I wish you the absolute best of luck though in all you do. You're very good at communicating."
In our society we need to stop avoiding issues. From oil dependance, to the national debt, to terrorists, most of our problems have come from avoiding issues. If we knew how to respectfully turn down a child, perhaps we wouldn't have as many problems in the U.S. as we do right now. If we as children knew how to take rejection, perhaps we would be more profitable and a less violent society.

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