Yesterday morning my nine-year-old decided to hold a yard sale at 2pm that afternoon, by himself, with items that he no longer wanted. He gathered some old Pokemon cards and origami pieces, made a sign to list the prices, and walked down our block to notify neighbors of the impending sale. He hoped to make $15 or so — enough for a productive trip to the toy store.
As a parent, my soul hurts when my kids are rude, mean, etc. And then sometimes it gets crushed in a completely different way, as if a cruel deity wanted to mix things up a bit. Here Sam was getting organized, showing initiative, setting a goal — in short, doing lots of things right — but was probably doomed to failure anyway. You can’t just decide to hold a sale in three hours, with a box full of random used kid stuff, and expect to make a profit.
Sam, how I wish the world would see your resourcefulness and reward you for it. I’m so sorry that it often goes unrewarded.
At 2:10pm, reluctantly, I was Sam’s first customer. I made a “pity purchase” of four Pokemon card sleeves, which looked nice. I have no idea what I’ll do with them. I walked away with tears in my eyes.
And then at 2:30, a miracle happened. A young couple who live two doors down — friendly, but I don’t even know their names — came over and spent $10, including a large tip.
Nameless Young Couple, thank you for seeing Sam and making his day.
My Track Record 
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