Reverse psychology?

[Bookworm]

I just saw a post somewhere which mentioned that, and thought I'd throw this one to CAGgers for their opinion:

 

Son No 1 needs new trainers. Fair enough.

 

He tells me he has seen 2 pairs he likes, one is £32, one is £48. I ask him whether he is bothered about which to get, he says not really, although the £48 are nicer. Hm.

 

He then says: "Oh, and could I also get a pair of Adidas shorts, £10 and 2 pairs of football socks, £4 & £3?"

 

I make a quick calculation in my head: £32 + £10 + £7 = £49. So, if we were to go for cheaper trainers, total would be about the same as if I got the expensive trainers alone. Hm. Again.

 

At which point, I looked at son No 1 and thought: "Am I being scammed here?"

Could he be crafty enough to play me on the 2 pairs of trainers, knowing that I would then (obviously) go for the cheaper one, but then be mollified enough by his flexibility on the matter of the trainers that I could then be coaxed into getting the shorts and socks?

 

I confronted him with my suspicions, and he just cracked up laughing and maintains that he is not bright enough to think something like that, but I'm not so sure.

 

So, CAGgers of the jury, what do YOU think?

[Castlebest]

I confronted him with my suspicions, and he just cracked up laughing

 

Think you answered yourself Bookie

[HSBCrusher]

you know know the answer already

[MilkTrayMan]

...he is not bright enough to think something like that, but I'm not so sure...

He is male + says that he is YOUR son??...

(...note the paradoxical irony of the implied double bluff/triple entendre...:o).

...The answer is NOT hard to work out BW...

 

Buy him Aldi/Lidl/Netto own brand trainers + offer to buy him as many pairs of shorts + socks from Croydonshire Market, as he wants...

 

 

...

[barracad]

Tesco trainers £5.

 

Sorted.

[sharkie]

Offer the Tesco ones plus ten quid cash.

[Hobbie]

Tell him to get a job delivering milk or papers, and pay for them himself

[Bookworm]

Paper rounds are dying out, didn't you know? With the increase of online instant access to the news, they're fast becoming redundant.

 

As for milk, I don't think there has been a milkman round here for over 10 years!

 

Hopefully, he is going to get himself something over the summer, but Big Feet needs the trainers now and as he is in the middle of his GCSEs...

 

MTM, funny you should say that, that's the problem: At IQ level, he is classified as one of them genius children, but he's the type who can't find his a*** with both hands, if you'll forgive the expression. High intelligence, but the common sense of a gnat. So, he does have the intelligence to work out a plan like that, but is unlikely to have thought of playing me in the first instance, if you see what I mean. (although I guess one of his mates could have told him! )

 

He's going to have to wait anyway, so it's all academic at the moment.

[Goldlady]

My stepdaughter came in sporting a pair of jeans that cost £50, all ripped and torn. My response was - you could have got ten pairs from the supermarket for that money!

 

Goldlady - fashion icon:D

[stonedecroze]

My stepdaughter came in sporting a pair of jeans that cost £50, all ripped and torn. My response was - you could have got ten pairs from the supermarket for that money!

 

Goldlady - fashion icon:D

 

Do you really want your stepdaughter to play with knives,scissors or razor blades? She is probably safer paying the 50 notes :rolleyes:

[Bookworm]

That's a very good point, Stone.

[PriorityOne]

You could reward him on the basis of his GCSE results instead.... although be careful. My daughter came out with 10 ... so it cost me dearly....

 

It got her to swat though.... ....

[stonedecroze]

I did the same, then it was 2years college and now 3/4 years uni. you could end up paying out forever, just like me !!!

[breeze1996]

How about giving him a list of jobs with a price next to them.

you have to pay out but you could get some jobs done for free....

but he won't know that

[PriorityOne]

I did the same, then it was 2years college and now 3/4 years uni. you could end up paying out forever, just like me !!!

 

 

Worth it though....

[stonedecroze]

Worth it though....

 

 

The jury is still out on that. decision is due when he becomes the next Walt Disney.

 

Bookie, it would prob be less hassle just to get the trainers he wants.:-|:-|

[Bookworm]

You could reward him on the basis of his GCSE results instead.... although be careful. My daughter came out with 10 ... so it cost me dearly....

 

It got her to swat though.... ....

That's already done, the carrot is an amp: The more GCSEs and the higher the mark, the bigger the amp. In my own words: "you bring me back 6 A*, you can blow the bloody windows off!" He said: "That's not fair, you know I can't do that!" and I replied: "That's YOUR problem, I've given you the conditions, what you do with them is up to you." (knowing fine me and my windows were quite safe... )

 

Bookie, it would prob be less hassle just to get the trainers he wants.:-|:-|

In all fairness, he's not one of those "I want, I want" all the time. He's asking for trainers because the ones he has are now too small, and he needs good ones because he plays football, and I have found through trial and error that it is a false economy to buy the cheap cheap ones, as they don't last 2 months.

[kia]

Tesco trainers £5.

 

Sorted.

cheapskate :Dxxkia

[stonedecroze]

That's already done, the carrot is an amp: The more GCSEs and the higher the mark, the bigger the amp. In my own words: "you bring me back 6 A*, you can blow the bloody windows off!" He said: "That's not fair, you know I can't do that!" and I replied: "That's YOUR problem, I've given you the conditions, what you do with them is up to you." (knowing fine me and my windows were quite safe... )

 

He might have a claim against that under UTCCR`s

 

In all fairness, he's not one of those "I want, I want" all the time. He's asking for trainers because the ones he has are now too small, and he needs good ones because he plays football, and I have found through trial and error that it is a false economy to buy the cheap cheap ones, as they don't last 2 months.

 

tell me about that one. My son has feet like kipper boxes, size 12 :o:o

[Bookworm]

LOL @ UTCCR, Stone.

 

I'm a parent, being unfair is a core term of the contract.

[MilkTrayMan]

...As for milk, I don't think there has been a milkman round here for over 10 years!...

Soz...Is it REALLY that long??...

 

 

 

 

...At IQ level, he is classified as one of them genius children...

Methinks the correct English grammar to use is 'those' BW...

...

[Bookworm]

That was done for comic effect, luv, and where's my damn milk anyway?

[revolting peasant]

That was done for comic effect, luv, and where's my damn milk anyway?

 

Bedfordshire, which is quite a long way from Croyden;)

 

You could just buy him the new trainers and challenge him to see how far he can run in them.

 

If they are any good he won't be back for weeks:D

[Bookworm]

Well, turned out genius child lived to his reputation... The reason the trainers were different prices was because the cheaper ones were children's ones!

 

So then when he started about the socks and shorts, I said no way, if the trainers are the expensive ones, no way I am paying for the rest.

 

Long story short, we found another pair, £18!!! and he got his shorts and socks, so it cost me less, he got all he wanted, that's what I call a result.

[tiglet]

Kids! Why didn't I listen to my mother?