[Nick]

i'm going to respond specifically to your concern of being a saleman and stalking.  i'll write about what i do and then you (ryan) can think about how it may apply to your situation.

i teach kids...i'm in a unique position where i can influence them energetically.  i push impeccability on them.  i don't use that word specifically, but then again, when i discuss energy with people not on the Path, i have to veil it with choice words.  After all, who do you know that if you told them that there were ONLY 3 kinds of people (dreamers, stalkers, farts) in the world would believe you?  How would you directly talk to people about 'double-beings'?  So in my teaching, i have to act (stalk) in such a way that they can pick up what i am teaching them.  i would say 90% of the time, if someone watched me teach, they would think i'm a nutcase!  But as long as my students are learning and HAVING FUN, i could care less about how their parents or whoever think about my actions.  Because it's not about parents or me.  It's about the kids.  Getting them to think for themselves.  One of my favorite things to do is to pretend to not know something that is basic knowledge.  And they GO NUTS correcting me!  So much fun...

It's all stalking... and i seem to be noticeably doing it more and more these days.

All this interacting with kids (who will have so much fun playing with something like a paper bag) teaches me how to experience joy, affection, efficiency and abandon.

Hope this is of some help.

Your ideas on teaching kids are inspiring. My partner & I have 8 grandchildren. Unfortunately their parents are forever fighting each other & thinking of themselves to the extent that the poor kids lack proper role models. The kids love coming to us because we listen to them & try to guide them. They would rather stay with us than go back to their stressful homes. We would appreciate any other ideas or tips that you may have with respect to teaching children in a positive life-affirming way.