I am so sorry for this, but maybe someone could turn it into a postive learning situation. Maybe the person had a bad day, lost their job, got bugged too much, please I am NOT trying to make an excuse for the person, but looking back on my kids experiences, each turn down we tried to teach our kids it was not their fault.
I wish Hunter the best.

I'd turn it into a positive lesson too and not dwell on it.

It's unfortunately just one of life's lessons children learn. Sounds like Dad took care of it very well. Hunter has probably put it behind him. Now you have to also or at least not let him know how upset you are. It would get my goat too but it's best for Hunter that you not make a big deal out of it even if it is.

As kids, I remember knowing who all the "cranky" neighbors were. We just learned to avoid them. I still do to this day!
A rough way to learn, but important none the less.
I know it hurts you, but bless his heart, he has learned on of lifes big lessons, to accept rejection and rudeness.
It's not pretty.
Can you send him to my house? I need a cute kiddo on my door step to brighten my day....

Trin

I'm not making a big deal of it to him. He won't even see me again til he comes for the wedding in two weeks. His other Grandma told me about it and it was the first I'd heard of it. Made me mad someone could not even have the common curtesy to say no thank you, just slam the door in his face. I know its not a huge deal and I know his Dad did the right thing and explained it well to Hunter. I know its one of the lessons he must learn in life.
BUT it still makes Gramma MAD! He has plenty of time to learn about mean and crabby people when he's older! LOL

In my area kids selling candy and other items go to the malls or the stadium or stand on sidewalks or other places where people congregate to shop for things or spend money.

Getting someone out of the shower or off the toilet, or waking them up from sleep, or what ever they were involved in, isn't going to put someone in the mood to listen to a sales spiel.

The era of the door to door salesperson is long gone. Avon doesn't come calling and the Fuller Brush man now sells on the internet.

I am assuming you intend to only sell to friends and neighbors. How about calling them first to see if it OK to come by?

Or how about having the Cub Scout coordinate their sales with a time when people are more willing to open their doors and have time for such things? Instead of Trick or Treating, go door to door during that time. Of course you don't want to be selling CANDY at that time. Many youth groups sell frozen pizza, pies, mixed nuts, Christmas ornaments, t-shirts, ect.

Unfortunately door to door candy sales business has been tainted by unscrupulous practices and child abuse in many major cities and people will not patronize such sales when they come calling.

http://www.losh.ucla.edu/news/youthswindled.html

Here is a link that might be useful: Candy Bar Sales

I heard that kids are not allowed to sell anything door to door after kids disappeared,etc.

Here's a slight, ever so slight quandry... I feel for the person who may well have legitimate reasons for being upset. I know I get tired of all the door-to-door sales and the guilt trips they try to lay on you, and more that need not be said... BUT... you don't take it out on an 8 year old! That was pretty tacky. Nothing to get enraged about, but one where you shake your head and say "idiot!!"

Thats awful to slam the door in his face. I don't understand why the cub scouts don't sell at Lowes or somewhere else. No way would I want to my child to go door to door with me. I almost bought cub scout stuff a mom was trying to sell at her garage sale, but when I looked at the sales info, just abut everything was $20-no thanks. I think they would sell a lot more by selling something much cheaper like candy bars.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by kids asking me to buy this or that at a mall after all ready having bought some. However, I would NEVER, NEVER think of yelling at them. For heavens sake, they're only trying to make money for their troop or school.

I guess it's all in how you were taught growing up. Mom always insisted a polite "No Thank You" was much better than yelling or screaming at someone.

I remember how reluctant I was to sell candy (or worse magazine subscriptions) by going door to door. However, mom's lesson paid off when I won first place for selling the most candy - a dandy new radio.

I'm sorry but there is no time nor place that being that rude to anyone, let alone a child, is acceptable, Dilly Dally. That's a big peice of what is wrong in this world today, common decency and manners have all but disappeared and some folks are making allowances for it. There is no excuse for rudeness.

Read Lynn's post. I agree and especially when dealing with a child.

lynn_d, where did I say it was acceptable to be rude to people??? I just suggested alternatives for selling that would be less disruptive to peoples lives and possibly generate higher sales.

According to the OP all the person did was abruptly close the door and not respond in any manner to the the sales spiel. All this talk like from secsteve, about how one should never YELL at a child selling door to door, well there was no mention of any yelling going on in the original post.

The OP says "I wanted to go find them and give them a knuckle sandwich!" Does not anyone find the threat of physical violence offensive? Escalating an event like someone closing a door without saying anything, into "giving them a knuckle sandwich" is not the way I was brought up.

I remember selling Camp fire Girl Mints door to door. My best friend went with me. They were a dollar a box and I had to sell a dozen. I went around my own block only, my Mom told me she would buy whatever was left over. Nobody slammed the door in my face, I might have started to cry if they did!

Dilly Dally that was an expression to try and show you how mad I was that someone would treat my GS with such disrespect!! If you only knew what a polite and kind and sweet little boy he is you'd know why I am so mad.First of all, I would NEVER do that. Second of all I live over 120 miles from my grandson. He lives in a town of thousands! So thirdly I couldn't find the person who did this even if I wanted to. His Dad did handle it well by explaining about people that are rude. Which is what it was, plain and simple.Rude.

Connie, I will buy some of whatever he was selling. Sorry he had to experience such rudeness.

That was very rude for sure. One time a little boy came here selling stuff and I did not have the time to listen to him. I told him I didn't have time now but he could come back the next night. He did & then I bought. My point, maybe the person was having a really bad day and wasn't thinking clearly or maybe the person just does not like kids. There are people like that for sure. I think his father handled it beautifully.

I agree that it was rude and disrespectful of the person who did not want to be bothered, but I do not want to have to respond to cute little children trying to sell overpriced merchandise door to door. I can't believe that he was allowed to make "cold calls" where neither he nor his dad knew the person who opened the door. I would NEVER slam a door, shout at a child or blame them in any way, but this NANA is fed up with children being exploited this way!If we're going to get angry, let's direct it toward the schools and organizations that exploit them! Nuff said.

When m y kids were in school, they brought home "fund raising" catalogues of stuff to order, mostly candy and wrapping paper. I always bought just a couple of things, but I refused to pester my co-workers, neighbors or friends. I would have been happier if they had just sent home a note "We need (for example) $30 from each child's parent for field trips and extras year."

A side story-- I was at the post office today and there is a clerk who helps people with the machine that allows one to mail packages without going to the desk. I asked him why he didn't have a chair since he's on his feet with no counter to lean on all day, and he told me that he did have a little stool for a short time. But the customers kept thinking it was for them and he usually didn't have the heart to tell them otherwise. He said that when he did mention it to a man, the man spit on the chair and swore at him. Can you believe it?? He also told me that the next time he saw that same man, he (the clerk) was pleasant to him because that's his job and he was raised that way.

Some people just never learned their manners + have a whole lot of anger stored up, I guess. How very sad.

While I would never be rude intentionally, I also do not want to be pestered by cute kids trying to sell me overpriced crap. I usually say "No, thank you" immediately and I do immediately shut the door. I already know I'm not going to buy the stuff, and I refuse to be guilted into a purchase. I don't want to hear the spiel. I hate these sorts of fund-raisers. I'm really surprised the Cub Scouts still allow door-to-door sales anymore - it hasn't happened here in 12 or so years.

I think the strategy of having the kids sell outside a major store is much safer for the kids, and also lets people like me take a wide berth and not have to reject a child.

Around here the Scouts sell popcorn outside the grocery store. I don't think door-to-door should be allowed anymore either.

I wouldn't have the heart to slam the door in an adults face, much less a childs! Back when I was a girl scout selling cookies, I got the door slammed in my face a few times!

If you don't want to be "bothered", why do answer the door in the first place?

And if you do answer the door, is it really to much of a "bother" to be polite and respectfull to a 10 year old?

The person was very rude.
I'd tell Hunter the person most likely is rude to everyone and it wasn't him.

Lori