For Sale - Taboo Topics

Good is relative. I doubt anyone can convince me otherwise.

My father, who passed away when I was 18, was a fair man. I was not disciplined often, though it was understood crossing the line involved a methodical spanken with the belt. I never saw anger in these moments with my father. The phrase, "this hurts me more than it hurts you", is a memory I now understand as a parent. How you gauge corporal punishment is up to interpretation and the method in which it is administered is subject to judgment on a case by case basis.

The media and social norm has put a stigma on corporal punishment. I've only spanked my kids one or two times because of this stigma. These cases came out of total disrespect toward the parent and the inability to stop a behavior after a long period of ineffective persuasion. Not skilled with the corporal punishment process the act came out of frustration, instead of love. I'm sure some may gauge this on an extreme scale of the Do Good Gauge, I still cling to saying good is relative. For clarifications, my kids were never mentally or physically harmed and no objections were received from my spouse.

Our basement is knee deep in toys. I can't find the motivation in the kids to clean up the mess or part with toys no longer used. As an example, I decided to get rid of something that I still have use for, but the household would be better off without. That item is a 27" Panasonic television which still has a perfect picture.

I asked my 12 year old son to wipe off the screen and take the items off the top. Then to take a digital photo to submit to Craig's List. He was not initially motivated, but discovered motivation in his idea to receive a 20% commission. I told him if he cleans it off, gets the photos, helps post it on Craig's list, and follow-ups with the phone calls and the sales process I would give him 20%.

$50 is the asking price for the television. The price is comparable if not lower to similar televisions posted. I'm willing to take less, but I need to hand over the 20% to my son after the sale. The lad is pretty good with math, he knows 20% of $50 is $10. He also knows that 20% of $45 is $9. Though he might not be upset with $9, kids do like a single large bill over a bunch of small bills.

Back to the Do Good Gauge. This television is in perfect working condition. Actually, I took it in two years ago because the cable connector on the back worked its way loose from the board. I paid $100 to get it fixed. It came back and the picture was as perfect as the day it was bought. Since the conversion to digital reception, I've noticed several televisions on the street waiting for trash pickup. I've talked to a few neighbors who mentioned the sets being thrown away were in working condition. Again, I see good as relative, but can't peg filling our landfills with working equipment as anywhere close to the 'Good' tick on the Do Good Gauge.

If I was able to hand out gauges for every point made in this discussion I'm sure there would be an abundance of data worthy of analysis. For now my 12 year old is just interested in receiving $10. The television will go to the first person to show up at my door with $50 cash. Any denomination of bills will be accepted, as long as a $10 bill is in the mix.