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The Cost = 2 Cents, The Lesson….Priceless

Sometimes life has a funny way of turning you into something that you never thought that you would be...your parents! How many times did your parents tell you something for your own good? Did you listen to what they had to say, or did you roll your eyes and moan? In retrospect, and as a parent, it's clear that while my parents weren't always right, they did have knowledge that could have helped me if I had chosen to listen to it. As a parent, you inevitably end up saying a lot of the same things that your parents said to you. Today was just such an occasion.

For some reason, my son seems to think that running mundane errands with me is somehow going to be fun or exciting. While I do my best to make it entertaining, sometimes it's just the same old routine. This was a busy day, so there wasn't going to be time for a lot of goofing around.

First it was off to the library to return some videos. No time to look for new ones, since Friday is football practice day. Then it was off to the bank to deposit a commission check (always a good thing). My son knows that he can at least get some candy out of the deal because Commerce Bank always has a plethora of red lollipops, so he's always happy to go to what he calls the "Red C Bank."

The last stop was at the post office, and this is where the lesson was learned. Over the course of time, my son developed a routine whenever we go to the post office to pick up mail from the P.O. Box. The day is not complete until he checks the stamp machine for loose change that was left in the coin return slot. Today was one of the lucky days. Two pennies were sitting there for the taking. You should have seen the look on his face. You would have thought that he'd been successful panning for gold!

While I was at the counter mailing out a package, he asked me if he could put the money into the coin slot of the stamp machine. I told him that he's going to lose it, and that I wouldn't do it. He insisted that he could get it back by hitting the coin return button. Again, I told him that he's going to lose the money if he put it back in the machine. After a little more badgering, I gave the standard answer that my parents used to give me... "Do what you want!" Well he did, and guess what happened. That's right, the coins didn't come back.

As we walked to the car, he was in tears over the money that he lost. I told him that there was nothing that I could do about it, and that he was warned several times not to put the money into the machine. He asked if I could give him money when we got home to replace the money that he lost. I told him that he didn't have the money when he got to the post office, and that he lost the money because he refused to listen.

The easy solution would have been to replace the two pennies, but I thought that it was more important to teach him a lesson while the cost was insignificant. I asked (in my best parental voice) "What did I say was going to happen if you put the money back into the machine?" The reluctant response was "You said that it would get lost." I then asked, "So what happened?" Again, in an almost mumbling, clearly fed up voice, he uttered "The money got lost." Staying in full parent mode, I then asked "Do you know how this could have been avoided?" An exasperated response followed "If I would have listened to you." I concluded with "What lesson did you learn today?" He said, "that I should have listened to you." That's all that I wanted to hear.

I explained to my son that I tell him things that he may not want to hear for his own good, and that I know more because I've experienced more, and that someday he will know more than his kids and he can share his experience with them. It seems to be a rite of passage to use the lines on our children that were used on us.

Parents and children will always see things differently, but getting the chance to teach a valuable lesson for the cost of 2 cents that we didn't have to begin with was truly priceless in my eyes. If this lesson got through to him, it would be more than enough. But I got to thinking how this lesson could be applied to real estate as well. After all, it can't hurt to get as much value as possible out of the two lost pennies.

How often do we find "two pennies" (potential customers and clients) and put them back in "the machine" (other REALTORS®) by not following up with them in a timely manner or deciding not to work with them because we don't think that it will be worth our time? Many times the potential customer may not appear to be anything special, but that's not always the case, which reminded me of a story that I heard recently.

A man walked into a fancy office in the Hamptons on Long Island looking a bit disheveled, and not at all like the rest of the well-to-do clientele that usually walks in the door. Because of his appearance, most of the veteran agents passed him by because they didn't want to "waste" an up call. Eventually, a newer agent without anything to lose, graciously spoke to the man to find out what he was looking for. It turned out that he was the owner of a major carpet chain, and that he was interested in buying a summer home, but there was one catch...The price could not exceed $10 million! You can probably still hear the loud THUD of jaws hitting the desks as the agents that passed him over realized that they just lost out on their share of a $300K commission.

The moral of the story is two-fold. Parents have insight that children don't, and that it is usually not fully realized until children become parents themselves, and that things are not always as they appear on the surface. As REALTORS®, we should qualify the person not our perception of the person.

Posted by Adam Waldman - Long Island REALTOR® on 10/27/2007 09:59 PM

Comments (128)

long island real estate, long island realtor, long island parents

Originally posted at: Long Island Relocation>> Long Island Real Estate: The Cost = 2 Cents, The Lesson….Priceless

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128 Comments on The Cost = 2 Cents, The Lesson….Priceless

OCT

2007

Adam,

I'm glad you were able to use two cents to teach your son a lesson. Maybe that'll save him on the more expensive ones later. Probably not, but there's a chance.

As for Real Estate, I've found that perception is oftentimes the killer for many Realtors. If they don't smell the money, they turn their back and run the other direction. I believe our tightening market will change that, to some extent, but it's hard to change the stripes on a zebra.

Thanks for an enjoyable read.

Adam, It seems like once we become a parent most of us are programmed to talk the same. When you were explaining to your son why you told him not to put the coins back in the machine, I think I was saying your lines ahead of you. :0)

I am glad things worked out. I truly enjoy every second I spend with my children.

Adam, your story brought back memories as my children are now young adults. They have however thanked us for those lessons they learned by us not giving them the 2 cents.

You are right you can never judge a book by its cover.

Great lesson on both accounts Adam.

Amen! I've had the same thing happen to me numerous times... people making the wrong assumption. Always a big mistake! I appreciate the hard lesson you had to teach your son today. It was probably even harder on you. Poor little guy ;(

See ya at the Cafe.....

Adam,

I don't comment on your stuff enough. You always do such a good job of covering everything I never feel like there is anything left to say. Another gem my good man!!

Very nicely written and presented blog. I loved the pictures and the story.

Adam - This is an interesting point as parents. I hear my mom's words coming out of my mouth to my kids all the time! Nice job on this post. As you know, I dig this parenting stuff. I'm glad you got to spend some time with your son today, and you even got a blog inspiration out of it!

Bob - I wouldn't mind if you wanted to comment on my posts, buddy.

Adam- I just love to hear the stories about your son and reminisce of when my sons were his age. I recall a lesson shared with my youngest boy who loved the idea of being an entrepreneur by setting up his own SNO-CONE machine at our adult softball games we participating in weekly. He also ventured into candy bars and treats to sell also. The first outing required a small loan to get his inventory started. When the evening was over of course came the lesson to pay-off your debt with your proceeds, talk about "crying", it was a tough one to explain and help him understand that the initial investment wasn't his and that he owed that back. I think he eventually got the idea but it was tough to take that $20.00 back!! But a great lesson overall and a great memory that comes back just by reading your story. I just love reading these stories and lessons you share! Thank you. I love my "little" (big) guys and miss those opportunities to teach them lifes lesson, now it's just tricky to convince them I do know 'some' things!

This story was perfectly-timed for me to pass on to my son - maybe a little inspiration for an issue he and his son disagree about. Maybe one or both will find a little wisdom in your post.

Adam... This post makes me laugh so much about the kids and sounding like your parents! With my kids all in their teenage years the listening to your parents is really not something the like to do. They are so darn smart, they know everything you know and I must be the craziest and dumbest person in the world. I remember being that smart at that age and my parents being just at dumb as my kids think I am! I often tell my children that one day when they have kids of their own they will understand! Paybacks are a, well, we know the answer to that!

OCT

2007

Adam, Yep, I find myself saying things to my kids that my parents said to me! I never thought I would be like my parents, but I guess it happens to the best of us.

The second part of your story reminds us all that we should never judge anyone by the way the look or are dressed. You just never know!

The other remarkable thing about this is, children have what we have lost, yes I said lost, and it is the law of believing. When they believe they want something and it is available they will get it. They do not know or have been around disappointment. I love to be around children when they are believing big.

Adam what a great post. Some lessons in life have to be learned. Your son learned a valuable lesson and you bridged it into real estate. Awesome.

Adam, as you know I'm not a parent yet, but this reminds me of something my best buddy from college recently told me. He now lives in a home across the street from his parent's home and has 2 young daughters of his own. He told me that so often he hears himself saying the same things that his parents said to him when he was a child. Every once in a while he just marches over to his parent's house and out of the blue announces to them "You were so right" and other times just walks into their house and says "I'm sorry." for no apparent reason.

Great story and you taught your son a valuable lesson that he'll remember. And you've translated that into a valuable lesson for all Realtors.

Adam - our kids don't want to hear all the great parental wisdom we are trying to impart. But they hear it real well, when the same message comes from their peers. The other day my son apologized, for "being an a...hole". When I asked what prompted the apology, he said his friend told him, and my son realized that he behaved like this at home as well.

As real estate professional we also have to be listening and more importantly hearing our peers and clients.

Adam, fantastic! We try so hard to "protect" our children from disappointmnet, but they need to make their own mistakes and learn from them. Brian and I have been working on the Senior Ad for the yearbook, where we, as parents, impart words of wisdom to our kids as they graduate from high school. Amongst other things, we wrote to my son: "Make mistakes and learn from them" right along with "Don't blow off class too many times!"

Great post. I've been guilty of that in the past but i've learned my lesson. Don't judge. It'll cost you in the long run.

You are a great writer! I enjoyed the story... It is amazing what the kids teach the parents- we can always take what we preach to our kids daily and use it to better ourselves!!!

Adam-This was a great story. I love how you used this experience with your little boy and related it to our lives in real estate. It cracks me up at times when I can hear myself(as if it were an echo of my parents voice from long ago) and ask, are my children going to run with what I just told them, or are they going to look at me with that strong solid stance, and be certain that what I just said was absolutely wrong?

Our children can actually teach us a whole lot more than we realize. They seem to have a keen sense of people in general. It's not too often I see my children expressing poor perception of other people. Thankfully they haven't had to build a tough exterior from too many bad experiences. They teach me to look at everybody as if they hold a hidden treasure of gold.

My children grew up to be responsible young adults. Through their lives they were pretty well mannered but ALWAYS had to voice their opinion. I remember one time I got a call from work and my daughter had been caught with her friend shoplifting. I went to pick her up....and told her on the way to the car to give me her pager (she was 13) and she was grounded for a month. She started justifying saying it was the first time and she only took a costume bracelet and her friend took a whole bunch of stuff. I stopped dead in the middle of the mall and told her she can agree or I can take her back to the cops and they can take her to the detention center and she won't have the pager, behind locked doors, no phone, no eating what she wants, no home....etc...She got the picture and handed me her pager.

Wow...memory flash back. I taught my kids some things differently (we had a very dysfunctional family) and some things may not have been good. I'm glad I changed my thinking around too....otherwise they may have been people pleasers too :)

Sorry for the walk back in time.....anyway, sounds like your structure and keeping boundaries may prove to be a very good thing in relation to your business as well.

Adam:

This was going to be a very good post even without the real estate tie end at the end! That just made it even better!!!!

You can't judge a book by its cover. I've met lots of very wealthy people in my career as a real estate agent and most of them....you would have never thought it about them.

Great post!

ANDREW: Thanks for your comments. I'm hoping that this lesson will be the foundation for other lessons that will help him to make good decisions in the future. You're right on both counts about REALTORS®. Many need to see the immediate payout and they should change in this current market, but bad habits are hard to break. I'm glad that you enjoyed this, Andrew. I hope that things are going well for you. I haven't seen you around much lately.

MANA: It's funny that we all sound like our parents and we all sound like each other as well. I can't tell you how often I hear other parents using the same lines that I use almost daily. Thanks for sharing, Mana.

MARCHEL: It's nice to know that the lessons may have a "thank you" somewhere down the road. Thanks for your support and your comments, Marchel.

MISSY: Thanks for your comment. I'm glad that you appreciated the lesson in all of this.

JENNIFER: He's resilient and none the worse for wear. I'm sorry that this has been happening to you. I would just hang out in the café and forget the small stuff. Thanks for commenting, Jennifer.

BOB: It's always great to see your name pop up! Thank you for the support and the great compliment. I really appreciate it, and more importantly, everything that you're doing to make sure that Active Rain stays the great format that it is right now!

BARBARA: Thank you for the compliment. I try and use pictures to help tell the story whenever possible. Thanks for commenting, Barbara.

JASON: I feel that I don't have an original thought sometimes when it comes to parenting. The words have all been used before by my parents and currently by my peers. Spending time with my son usually inspires some blog topics. Thanks for commenting, Jason.

CANDI: It sounds like you've done a great job raising your kids. Too many parents would have let them keep the $20 to feel like the "good guy," but ultimately, they learned about how business really works. That kind of lesson goes much further than $20 which most certainly would have been spent on something totally forgettable. I'm glad that I can help spark some great memories for you. Thanks for your continued support, Candi. I really appreciate it.

MARGARET: I hope that this can help your son and grandson. Who'd have thought that an innocent trip to run some errands would turn out to be so meaningful to so many people? Thanks for commenting, Margaret.

KIM M.: I can't even imagine the lines that I'll put out of my past once my kids become teenagers. These kids do seem much smarter than we were at their age. I do know what paybacks are, and I know that my mother has spoken openly about the retribution that I had coming. At least we all have each other here so that we can laugh about some of this stuff. Our parents never had this kind of forum. Thanks for commenting, Kim. It's good to see you back around.

ROBERTA: I think that it's a reflex. We have these comments lying in wait in our subconscious, ready to be launched at a moment's notice. You're right about never knowing who or what someone is until you dig deeper. Thanks for your comments, Roberta.

SUSAN: You must love the holidays then! (LOL) There is almost nothing on TV that isn't obviously girly that my son hasn't asked for as a gift. They do seem to have less fear of rejection than adults, but it's mainly with their parents. When dealing with each other, I do still see some insecurities, but that may just be my son. Thanks for your comments, Susan.

GARY: Thank you for your extremely complimentary words. I try to teach him these lessons whenever possible so that he has them as a building block for the future. I'm really glad that you enjoyed this lesson and the tie-in to real estate, Gary.

BRIAN: That would be very cool to hear him come back and say "thank you" or "I'm sorry" out of the blue. At the very least, I think that he learned a lesson, and that was well worth the little bit of grief that he felt over losing the 2 cents. Hopefully people stuck around to the end to get the REALTOR® lesson as well. Thanks for commenting, Brian.

FAINA: I know that you were being serious, but I couldn't help but chuckle a bit over the story. That's a tough realization for anyone to come to, no matter the source of inspiration. Thank you for sharing and commenting, Faina.

KELLY: I agree that we try to save them from disappointment, but sometimes it is the only way for them to learn a lesson. I love the quotes that you gave to your son! Priceless!

ROBERT: I think that we've all been guilty of this to a degree in the past, Robert. As long as we learn from it and bring it into the future, it will have value. Thanks for sharing and commenting, Robert.

KIM C.: Thank you very much for your kind words about my writing. I'm glad that you enjoyed the story. You bring up a very good point about learning from the lessons that we're trying to teach. Very profound! Thanks for your comment, Kim.

JULIE: Thanks for the compliment. Sometimes my son inspires things that I wasn't even expecting when I started writing. I guess we all find inspiration from interesting sources. He just seems to be a constant source of ideas for me. I imagine that my daughter will be as well once she's a bit older. I can't imagine the day that I will stop learning from them. Thanks for commenting and sharing Julie.

SALLY: Thank you for sharing your very personal story. It sounds like you handled things brilliantly. Sometimes it takes tough love to get your point across. This particular situation didn't sound dysfunctional to me, but clearly you have much more insight into the rest of the picture. I do try to implement these lessons that I speak about into other facets of my life. Thanks for your comment, Sally.

JESSICA: As a parent of little ones, I'm sure that you related to this story very well. Whenever possible, I try to expand the story to inspire thought for others, and to give myself a system of checks and balances by practicing what I'm preaching. Thanks for your compliments and continued support, Jessica. I really appreciate it!

Adam- Wait until they are teenagers! I like the lesson you taught and I also like the way you related it to real estate. I love the story about the man that walked into the office. That exact thing happened to me several times. No one would work with this one man way back when prices for a luxury home were like 500K; even my Xhusband told me( we were married at the time) that I was wasting my time with this 'scumbag'. He asked me if I got him approved for a loan and I told him the man is paying all cash, My X said, "In your dreams!" well, he bought an 800 k house from me all cash and gave me a HUGE bonus for working with him when no one else wanted him! Katerina

Great post....thanks for sharing you 2 cents with us.....

Adam, I had a major thing with my dad over a penny he wouldn't give me for a gum ball when I was three. It had a huge impact on me, though not one he expected. I became very financially independent at an early age and have stayed that way my entire life. He did me a gigantic favor! Very cute post! You sound like a great father.

Here is my two cents worth. I don't cry over spilt milk. I hold value to what is right. I would have sent him back to the machine vendor and ask for the credit. The machine has a funny way of not working when you need it to.

Excellent example of sticking to your guns and following through. Most of us fail on both personal and business levels repeatedly. Excellent post.

I have a little notebook of things I thought I would never have to EVER say to my kid. Best so far?

"Don't lick that wall" ... pause ... "You don't know where it's been."

"It's been right here, Daddy!"

"Um, yeaah. Well, you don't know whos licked it before."

"Probably nobody. It's kinda gross."

I'm glad everything worked out for you. Becoming your parents isn't so bad.

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It's so true... everyday I'm doing something more and more like my parents did... it's really amazing

what a great blog, I enjoyed reading it

These little ones have a magical way of turning you into your parents one day, and keeping you as young and vibrant as they are the next....I think you enjoyed learning the lesson, conveying it to him, as well as to others, and that has made you grow alongside your little man!

What a wonderful life we have!

Oh Boy can I relate to this all to well. I sometimes take my 6 year old with me to do the same. I fully prep him for the places we need to go, and he is always excited to go with me. Until he realizes what it is that he is getting himself into, then it starts with the "are almost done" I just smile and say "Nope" but there is always a reward at the end of the journey for him(provided all goes well)

Adam, Your son wouldn't be somewhere in the vicinity of 5 years old would he? I have a daughter, just turned five, who derives the same delight from the those mundane activities in my life, including the fun and easy road to wealth at the stamp & copier machines . . .

So I knew exactly where you were going. As soon as your son dropped those pennies in, against your admonition, and punched the coin return button . . . I knew a quarter was going to drop out!!!!

Obviously, I was wrong, and surprised by the way it turned out, but that's how my "lessons" often go. I am quite regularly outwitted by my little knee-cap knocker, in her wide-eyed innocence and confidence. Sometimes I'm just too jaded and presume to know too much, or spend too much time being right to know I'm wrong. The no-nonsense logic of a five year old on the other hand is quite amazing. As is their defiance.

I hope your son did take something away from his experience. I could really use a two-penny lesson for my daughter . . . beats the inevitably more costly ones she is sure to experience.

Thanks for sharing.

Two great lessons here. Thanks.

Your second story seems to happen on a regular basis and is a reminder not to judge someone based on their appearance.

OCT

2007

If it didn't work when our parents said it to us why repeat it? :-) We know kids have to prove themselves smarter than the old folks. I tell my children the possible consequences of their choices and let them take it from there. There have been a couple of occasions recently that I didn't say "I told ya so" but really could have.

I probably should be telling them over and over that they should do but when we got to the third child we were just plain tired. :-)

Seriously, I have pretty good kids but there are all really smart. Why the "but?" Because they think they know it all. What kid doesn't?

Believe me, when he disheveled guy wants a $10 million house we will pay good attention.

Adam, that was an excellent lesson you taught your son. Big gain, small price. Of course, I can just imagine big tears looking up at you in those big brown eyes, I might have caved! Excellent tie in to real estate as well. Don't ever assume anything. From my own experience, the wealthiest are often the ones you least expect.

It's hard sometimes. I raised five children and I once told my daughter, when she was about 20, arguing with me over something insignificant, "I'll be glad when you're 35 so I can have some sense".

Children don't realize the value of what parents say until they are parents themselves.

Nice story Adam.

Fabulous. A great analogy.

Adam,

Great analogy to real estate and life. If we are given an opportunity we need not waste it.

This was a great post! I love the story about the Hamptons. I heard something similar when I heard an agent say she would not show a house because the customers were only driving a "Toyota Camry"...how stupid...

Adam, what a great lesson and a tremendous reminder for all of us. Thank you!

Good story well told Adam. Maybe he finds 2 cents under his pillow, extending the lesson that listening semetimes gets rewarded.

cheers

Adam,

Why do parents always have to be right....You son sounds adorable, lesson learned I'm sure! :)

Adam, you did an excellent job in writing this blog. I really enjoyed this read! You are so right about becoming our parents in trying to teach our children valuable lessons about life in general. Great moral to the story! There have been so many times that I can recall words of wisdom that came from my mother, but I thought I knew everything, even though I was only a teenager, so I didn't listen. If I had, it would have saved me a lot of heartache and money by keeping me from making the wrong decisions. Thanks again!

Nice story and something to learn from. We do as Realtors loose people with lack of attention.

Priceless. I try to speak to everyone. Treat everyone the way they want to be treated

Dave

I am a step parent and grandfather......

I also have used the lines I hace heard my father say to me....

"Better watch it......"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you...."

"That is not going to turn out right...."

And other such warning phrases......

When your children start listening to you... by doing what you guide them to do.....you are doing your job as a parent...

=-)

I hate using some of the lines my mother used on me. When they just blurt out, I sit back and can't believe they came out of my mouth!

First I must say that you sound like a wonderful father and not only for the way you handled teaching him a valuable lesson about listening to you for his own good but by the way you described your "errand days" that you share. Obviously you are making memories and to children that is the most important thing you can do. They get big too quick and they soon don't have time for you...Kudos for you for making the time to be with them.

I love this story both of the 2 pennies and the gentleman looking for a $10 million home.

God Bless, Phyllis Pafumi

Great post Adam. Two great stories and only cost 2 cents. Good lessons learned. I , too, am my parents.

Some lessons in life have to be learned. There have been so many times that I can recall words of wisdom that came from my Father, but I thought I knew everything, but I was not. This was a great post! Thanks.

Isn't this a similar lesson to "you can't judge a book by it's cover". The real estate part of the story.

As a mom to three, I've given my kids a lot of my "2 cents". Sometimes they learn a lesson from me and a lot of times I learn more from them.

OCT

2007

Great post...treat others as you would want to be treated.

Basic Golden Rule!

Thanks for the reminder-sets the tone for the week ahead.

Paige

Experience seems to be the best teacher. And looks aren't everything. I have experienced where a couple is looking at high end homes and look like they are middle class. Plus, they are paying CASH for the home. And they are the nicest people to work with. What's on the outside does not necessarily reflect what's on the inside.

What a great post! Thanks...

We can learn so much from others, especially our parents.

If we weren't so stubborn to have to learn lessons on our own, just imagine how this world would be...

KATERINA: I can't even imagine them as teenagers! Early childhood is challenging enough. I'm glad that you liked the tie-in to real estate. Thank you for sharing your personal experience as to why we should always qualify people, and not just make snap judgments. Thanks for your comment, Katerina.

JULIE: Thank you for your complimentary comment.

PATRICIA: What a great comment. Thank you for sharing your story. I sometimes wonder how many of these lessons will stick now, and how many of them will have to be taught over and over again. He's a really sharp Kindergartener, so I'm hoping that these lessons will make an immediate impact, the way that it did for you. Thanks for your complimentary words, Patricia. I really appreciate it.

GARY: Thanks for your comment. I think that might be a lesson for another day. I realize that he should stand up for what's right, but it was more important to me that he learn a lesson about listening. The two pennies weren't his to begin with. He found them in the machine. I also don't think that they were going to come out from behind the gate and hold up the line so that they can see why 2 pennies didn't come back when the coin return button was pressed.

TODD: Thank you very much for the compliment, Todd. I like to try and stick to my guns whenever possible because I know that it's better for my son in the long run if he learns these lessons with less on the line. Thanks again for commenting, Todd.

LANE: That is a very funny dialog. Doesn't leave you much room to keep the argument going, but the entertainment value was priceless! Thanks for sharing that, Lane.

GREGORY: I think that it's just a rite of passage to become our parents. Thanks for your comment.

SCOTT: It's funny, because we think that we're going to be different, and the words usually come out the exact same way that we heard them growing up. Thanks for your comment, Scott.

BRETT: Thanks for your complimentary words. I enjoyed writing this one.

BILL: I was just using almost these exact words earlier this evening with a client. I said that they can turn you old and keep you young at the same time. I enjoy learning and teaching lessons, and then creating a reminder for the future in blog form. He keeps me on my toes, but I wouldn't trade our relationship for anything in the world. It truly is a wonderful life. Thanks for the comment, Bill. I always look forward to what you have to say.

JOE: It sounds like we are living parallel lives on opposite coasts. I love when I get "are we almost done?" as we've been out of the house for about 5 minutes. Thanks for sharing your story, Joe. It's always good to hear others that can commiserate with me.

TRENT: He is! I guess my son and your daughter both went to the same business school! (LOL) I think that the lesson turned out this way for me this time, but I can see where we will end up with egg on our face sometimes as they prove us wrong. I imagine that it's a game that goes on for quite some time. I'm with you on all counts, Trent. Thank you for sharing your story and for the great comment. I really appreciate it.

CAROL: I'm glad that you like the lessons. Thanks for commenting.

CAROLYN: Every once in a while, these well-placed reminders keep us aware of what we should be doing. Thanks for your comment.

TONI: They all seem to know, and I completely understand that by the time you've gotten around to the third kid, your resolve may not be as strong as it was for the first kid, which this is for me. I don't think that we can help but repeat what we were told. It's almost like a reflex. Thanks for commenting, Toni.

BOB & CAROLIN: I think that most people would pay attention after the fact. It's being able to get to the fact that he had $10 million to spend that takes discipline.

GINGER: Thank you for your support. It was a great lesson to teach him at a very reasonable price. I've gotten used to the instant waterworks that he's able to create over virtually nothing, so they don't have the impact on me that they might if I thought that there was real pain behind the tears. The real estate lesson is one that I think that we all know, but sometimes forget to follow. Thanks for your comment, Ginger.

LENN: I love the way that you phrased your comment to your daughter. I understand why it's difficult for them to see that we may have knowledge that they don't. I remember thinking that my parents were often wrong, only to find out years later that I may have made a mistake or two myself. Thanks for sharing and for the compliment, Lenn.

NANCY: Thank you for the compliment!

TRACY: Thank you for your complimentary words. Opportunity will not keep on knocking if we refuse to answer. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

SEAN: Stupid is the perfect description for what that agent did. There's a reason that we have a negative image in the minds of many, and agents like that are a big part of it. I'm glad that you appreciated the story. Thank you for your complimentary words, Sean.

DAVID: Thank you for your comments. I'm glad that you got something out of this post.

GARY C.: Thanks for the compliment. Interesting thought about eventually replacing the 2 cents for good behavior. Thanks for the suggestion, Gary.

SUZANNE: I'm not sure why we always have to be right, but it may be because kids usually think that we're wrong. He is a great kid and I hope that he learned a lesson from all of this. At the very least, Daddy got a blog out of it, and he knows how important blogging is! Thanks for your comment, Suzanne.

CONNIE: Thank you very much for your complimentary words. I'm glad that you enjoyed reading this. As a teenager, I'm not sure that I ever really thought that my parents were right, but I learned later on that I was the one missing out on the lessons. All we can do is try to teach the lessons that our parents tried to teach and hope that it sticks better than when we were the students. Thanks for your comment, Connie.

AL: Thanks for the compliment. Unfortunately, we do lose people because of silly reasons.

DAVE: It's a great way to be. I wish that more people had your attitude. Thank you for commenting, Dave.

ALEXANDER: Thanks for the words of encouragement. I will keep trying to instill these life lessons. Thanks for commenting.

CHRISTY: I don't think that we can help ourselves sometimes. I'm shocked at the things that I say at times also. Thanks for sharing.

PHYLLIS: Thank you for your great comment and very kind words. I try to make the "errand" days fun, as that's how I remember it with my father when I was young. Every chance that I get to create memories is one that I cherish. I can't imagine the day that he won't have time for me, but I know that is something that kids have to go through. I'm glad that you liked these stories. Thanks again for your comment, Phyllis.

RICKI: Join the club! Many of us have become our parents. Thanks for your compliment about the stories. I'm glad that you enjoyed them.

MOHAMED: Thank you for your complimentary words. I too thought that I knew everything at one time, but I realize now (as a parent) that it was not at all true. The words of wisdom have stuck with me, but they took some time to surface. Thank you for sharing and commenting, Mohamed.

MICHAEL: It is that exact lesson. Sometimes we just need a reminder to remember that age-old lesson. Thanks for commenting.

LISA: It is definitely a two-way street. For every lesson that I teach, there is also one that I learn from my son. We have a good line of communication, which I feel makes this process easier. Thanks for sharing and commenting, Lisa.

PAIGE: The Golden Rule is a great one, and it's something that is always good to keep top of mind. I'm glad that I was able to help set the tone for your upcoming week. Thanks for your comment.

BRIGITA: Amen! We learn from our experiences and the experiences of others. We should all know by now not to judge a book by its cover, but for one reason or another, that lesson is sometimes forgotten. Thanks for commenting, Brigita.

TROY: Thank you for your complimentary words. You're absolutely right about how much better things could be if we just accepted our faults and learned lessons willingly instead of having to learn the hard way. Thanks again for your comments, Troy.

Isn't it great that a lesson can sometimes only cost 2 cents? You are wise to take advantage of such an inexpensive opportunity. Most will cost blood, broken bones or a heck of a lot more in monetary consideration. The fact that your son found that 2 cents to be extremely valuable was the critical factor. Be thankful that this lesson did not have to wait until you yanked his driving privileges for wrapping his first car around a stop sign. He already knows the pain off loss, and is likely to pay more heed to consequences going forward. Good job, Dad.

PAUL: I am very thankful that he can learn lessons from insignificant amounts of money. It will also teach him the value of a dollar, or at least refresh the lessons that he's already been taught. Thanks for commenting, Paul.

OCT

2007

“It's clear that while my parents weren't always right, they did have knowledge that could have helped me if I had chosen to listen to it.” How true! A tough lesson to learn in retrospect; I wonder how many people wish they had known this, especially as teenagers.

Brian Wilson, Zolve.com

NOV

2007

Yes, that is a great lesson. I live in the NW in a rural area. Many of the people with large bank accounts look like what I think of as logger types. Jeans, flannel shirts, blue collar good ol' boys. In reality many of them own gobs of land and have plenty of money to spend with beautiful homes.

You definately cannot judge a book by it's cover, or loose two pennies in this case.

What a great post, Adam. My children are grown and I remember some of those "2 cent lessons." Speaking from experience, the first thing you did right was having your son along with you! And yes, I became my parents in many ways. Nice real estate tie-in and congrats on being top ten for Oct. That's how I found you.

What a great lesson, Adam! Appearances CAN be deceiving! Thanks for posting!

NOV

2007

BRIAN: I'm sorry that it took so long to respond to you. My system got screwed up when Active Rain jumbled our statistics page. That is where I went to manage my comments.

I'm with you on learning the lessons earlier in life, especially as a teen. Thanks for commenting, Brian.

LAURA: I'm sorry that it took so long to respond to you. My system got screwed up when Active Rain jumbled our statistics page. That is where I went to manage my comments.

You bring up a great example of why we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. Thanks for sharing and commenting, Laura.

NATHAN: I'm sorry that it took so long to respond to you. My system got screwed up when Active Rain jumbled our statistics page. That is where I went to manage my comments.

Appearances definitely can be deceiving. I've made money off of people that were dismissed by others because of their appearance. Thanks for commenting, Nathan.

TERRY: I'm sorry that it took so long to respond to you. My system got screwed up when Active Rain jumbled our statistics page. That is where I went to manage my comments.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I like bringing my son around so that we get to have some alone time together. It's a lot of fun to be around him. I'm glad that you liked the post and the real estate tie-in. Thanks for letting me know how you found me, and for your congrats. It's always good to know how people find others. Thanks again for commenting, Terry.

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Adam Waldman - Long Island REALTOR®

Hauppauge, NY

More about me…

Westcott Group Real Estate Company

Cell Phone: (631) 357-2036

Email Me

Long Island Real Estate and Relocation Specialist. Please read my blog for tips on how to sell your home for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time, general real estate advice and consultation on out-of-state relocations.

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