SUBSCRIBE VIA RSSWhat’s a good friend worth to you?
To have someone in your life who will be there to create and share in the good times, and be there to support you during the bad?
Forever.
Would you pay, say, eight bucks?
My 9-year old son hopped in the car after soccer practice and explained that a teammate had offered to be his best friend forever for only $8.
“No matter what I did, even if I was mean, he’d still be my best friend,” he explained.
Once again, I had to shuck a life oyster so that I could bequeath yet another pearl of wisdom to my son.
Me: “Michael, you are not paying that kid $8 to be your friend.”
Michael: “I know, I wouldn’t do that.”
Me: “Good, that’s just insane.”
Michael: “I talked him down to a dollar.”
Me: “What!?! You are NOT paying for friendship.”
Michael: “But Dad…it’s FOREVER. Isn’t forever worth a dollar?”
I wasn’t sure if I should be mad at the other kid for extortion or proud of my son for his stellar negotiation.
I went on to explain that friendship can’t be purchased, it has to be earned. You build friendships, you don’t buy them. I explained that my best friends in life never asked for anything from me outside of friendship. No money was ever exchanged even though I feel I could have charged prime rates.
I asked him if he would ever charge someone to be his friend and he said he wouldn’t. He got the message and decided against taking the offer, as generous as it was.
But, if in the off chance he does end up shelling out a few bucks, are friendship fees tax deductible?
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Michael strikes again! I'm taking him with me the next I need to buy a car.
Jennifer´s last post…South Jersey Restaurant Week
It must be something with that age group, my son had one of those "friend" deals about two weeks ago. Boys are strange creatures sometimes.
Cat @ 3 Kids and Us´s last post…Wilton Halloween Baking Ideas & Giveaway
LMAO Seriously! A whole dollar! Come on he talked him down drastically! That is awesome. hehehe That kid has some skills! As for the kid, someone needs a talking to. Extorting money at 9? Just imagine what he will be doing in 10 years!
Gena´s last post…Myles is almost 7 months old and has a new trick!
I laugh about this, because when I was 8, I remember the little boy that promised to be my friend forever. He was very kind. But now I am left wondering, what happened to the boy that said he would be my friend forever?? Maybe if I had paid him, he would still be my friend!
that is just too funny. Maybe you could write it off as charity lol
Kelly W´s last post…Quotes to Remember10-4-10
YAY! A new blog post. This is hilarious!
LOL. You have to be proud he talked that kid down seven bucks. That itself is an awesome skill.
Rob´s last post…Home Haircuts for ALL with Wahl
I think if he pays for a friend, that friend is TOTALLY a tax right off.
Cheryl´s last post…Day 9- October 14
Have him tell the kid that his parents already paid $$ for the pleasure of him being on the same soccer team, and maybe that'll do the trick.
Really, though, it seems that will all the dough I'm spreading out between all my kids' extracurricular activities, I'm already paying for those friendships! 
Stacey @ Tree, Root,´s last post…Free Download- Vinnie Ferra CD- Man vs Machine
Too funny – Maybe it was a down payment and he could have expected more! You cheated your son out of future monetary happiness!
Kidding of course. Good modeling!
RobMonroe´s last post…Update
You never know when life's lessons are going to pop up out of the blue, huh?
karen´s last post…Am I Insane
I pay my friends in food and cake. But you have to order in advance and pay before, not after, said food is given.