Problem #1

Coffee in two places at one time

A parent asks her son to drive his brother ½ mile to Starbucks for tutoring. Starbucks coffee cost $5. She has to be 15 miles away for a parent-teacher conference at the same time. The parent offers child $5 to buy a cup of coffee while there. The child says, "I don't want coffee, but I'll take the money." Should the parent fork over?

Logic Analysis

Parent: "Say we were walking through the mall and I asked if he wanted a coffee. If his response was 'no,' would I hand him $5? This was a contingency-based offer, not a payoff or shakedown."

Kid: "If she already considered the money spent, why can't I just have it to do what I want with it?"

Best Solution:

Child takes the money, doesn't buy coffee, picks up an empty cup in the Starbucks parking lot and puts it on top of the household trash. Parent is none the wiser, kid is $5 richer and the parking lot has one less piece of litter.

Alternate Answer:

Parent gives money, making mental note never to offer a cup of overpriced coffee to child again.

Problem #2

If there is nobody there to hear a college student fall into bed at 4 am, does her head hitting the pillow make a sound?

When the daughter is home from college on break, she stays out until 3 am. The father confronts her about lack of respect and consideration. She maintains she is independent, with the exception of $6000 annual tuition, food and shelter. How late can the daughter stay out?

Logic Analysis

Kid: "When I am away at school, he has no idea when I go to bed. Why should it bother him now? Besides, nothing that can happen at night couldn't happen during daylight hours, which no one ever seems concerned about."

Parent: "When she is under my roof, she should follow my rules. Don't even tell me that the cloak of darkness doesn't reduce inhibitions. The number of people staggering or careening down the street increases exponentially every minute after midnight."

Best Solution:

Kid meets friends at local tavern at 10 am, returning home in time for dinner, making sure not to puke afterwards.

Alternate Answer:

Parent calls child at college every morning at 2 am to see if she is in her room, sleeping.