Ice Cream at the Park
Nancy Machaj
Hi, I would like to hear some ideas on a situation.
My daughter is 4.5, and its summer, we go to the park almost every
day. Here in Chicago, ice cream vendors sell ice cream from
refrigerated boxes they push around on bikes, they hang out in the
parks of course, where the kids are. They are 1.50-2$ each. My
daughter always wants one, but she doesnt actually eat them. She
licks it a few times then hands it back to me, saying its too cold,
its drippy, it doesnt taste good. I think they taste gross, so its
not even like I can eat it, it just has to be thrown away. A lot of
the other kids in our group get them, too, although some parents dont
allow them as a rule.
I hate paying for them not to get eaten. 2$ a day turns into 8$ a
week (if we go to the park 4 times), etc.
I dont mind if she eats ice cream, I would not mind paying 8$ a week
if she was eating them. I get ice coffee most days, which is 2$ or
so, and I see it as similar. But, to just toss it?
So, when we are at the park, and I say that I am not buying it today,
I tell her we have ice cream at home for later,( true), and I bring
and have other snacks, etc, but she cant get her mind off it, and of
course, the guy rings his bell every so often and plenty of other
kids are eating it, etc....
So, am I being unreasonable to not buy them anymore? I have been
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.
Thanks.
Nancy in Chicago
*****
blogging at:
http://happychildhood.homeschooljournal.net
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
My daughter is 4.5, and its summer, we go to the park almost every
day. Here in Chicago, ice cream vendors sell ice cream from
refrigerated boxes they push around on bikes, they hang out in the
parks of course, where the kids are. They are 1.50-2$ each. My
daughter always wants one, but she doesnt actually eat them. She
licks it a few times then hands it back to me, saying its too cold,
its drippy, it doesnt taste good. I think they taste gross, so its
not even like I can eat it, it just has to be thrown away. A lot of
the other kids in our group get them, too, although some parents dont
allow them as a rule.
I hate paying for them not to get eaten. 2$ a day turns into 8$ a
week (if we go to the park 4 times), etc.
I dont mind if she eats ice cream, I would not mind paying 8$ a week
if she was eating them. I get ice coffee most days, which is 2$ or
so, and I see it as similar. But, to just toss it?
So, when we are at the park, and I say that I am not buying it today,
I tell her we have ice cream at home for later,( true), and I bring
and have other snacks, etc, but she cant get her mind off it, and of
course, the guy rings his bell every so often and plenty of other
kids are eating it, etc....
So, am I being unreasonable to not buy them anymore? I have been
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.
Thanks.
Nancy in Chicago
*****
blogging at:
http://happychildhood.homeschooljournal.net
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
michmdmama
I would consider other options. What about giving her some ice cream
before you leave home? Or getting her some on the way (something that
perhaps comes in a cup like a McFlurry)? What about a portable car
freezer (I googled it, they exist). You could buy some ice cream
whatevers at the store and stick one in there for the trip.
Amanda
before you leave home? Or getting her some on the way (something that
perhaps comes in a cup like a McFlurry)? What about a portable car
freezer (I googled it, they exist). You could buy some ice cream
whatevers at the store and stick one in there for the trip.
Amanda
--- In [email protected], Nancy Machaj <nmachaj@...> wrote:
>
> Hi, I would like to hear some ideas on a situation.
>
> My daughter is 4.5, and its summer, we go to the park almost every
> day. Here in Chicago, ice cream vendors sell ice cream from
> refrigerated boxes they push around on bikes, they hang out in the
> parks of course, where the kids are. They are 1.50-2$ each. My
> daughter always wants one, but she doesnt actually eat them. She
> licks it a few times then hands it back to me, saying its too cold,
> its drippy, it doesnt taste good. I think they taste gross, so its
> not even like I can eat it, it just has to be thrown away. A lot of
> the other kids in our group get them, too, although some parents dont
> allow them as a rule.
J Geller
So, am I being unreasonable to not buy them anymore? I have been
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.
Thanks.
Nancy in Chicago
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can you try problem solving with her before you go to the park?
The way we would this is to:
1. talk about it before going to the park, when she is calm and rational
2. identify your concerns - spending the money and not eating the ice cream, let her identify her concerns (and you may be surprised here) -- either one can go first or you can take turns as you think of concerns.
3. have both of you (or everyone who is around) brainstorm possible solutions - bringing treats, buying it once a week, buying it to share, getting it on the way home so you can freeze it, only buying ones that you also like, not buying it at all, going to a different park, taking over the ice cream truck franchise... and see what she comes up with.
4. agree on a solution to try and then try that solution
5. if it works then you have a solution
6. if that doesn't work, go through the process again or use your second choice solution. We will often have plan A, plan B, plan C etc and then go from there.
We also use it for uncertain situations like: getting a ride from so and so is plan A, and my being done coming to get him is plan B, and taking the bus is plan C.
We got this from Ross Greene's Collaborative Problem Solving and use it all the time.
We sometimes have to write it down so that my youngest will remember in the heat of the moment (he has neurological regulation issues) or my middle son will remember the order (he has processing issues) or I will remember that it was an issue. You can draw pictures to remind a child who can't read.
Let me know if you try it and it helps.
Jae
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.
Thanks.
Nancy in Chicago
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Can you try problem solving with her before you go to the park?
The way we would this is to:
1. talk about it before going to the park, when she is calm and rational
2. identify your concerns - spending the money and not eating the ice cream, let her identify her concerns (and you may be surprised here) -- either one can go first or you can take turns as you think of concerns.
3. have both of you (or everyone who is around) brainstorm possible solutions - bringing treats, buying it once a week, buying it to share, getting it on the way home so you can freeze it, only buying ones that you also like, not buying it at all, going to a different park, taking over the ice cream truck franchise... and see what she comes up with.
4. agree on a solution to try and then try that solution
5. if it works then you have a solution
6. if that doesn't work, go through the process again or use your second choice solution. We will often have plan A, plan B, plan C etc and then go from there.
We also use it for uncertain situations like: getting a ride from so and so is plan A, and my being done coming to get him is plan B, and taking the bus is plan C.
We got this from Ross Greene's Collaborative Problem Solving and use it all the time.
We sometimes have to write it down so that my youngest will remember in the heat of the moment (he has neurological regulation issues) or my middle son will remember the order (he has processing issues) or I will remember that it was an issue. You can draw pictures to remind a child who can't read.
Let me know if you try it and it helps.
Jae
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-So, am I being unreasonable to not buy them anymore? I have been
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.-=-
What if you took a plastic container and a spoon, and she put it in
there. You could snap the lid on. She might like it better after
it's melty. You could take it home for the dog or the cat if she
doesn't finish it, maybe? I'd take a ziploc bag to keep it in.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
buying them...but its beginning to irk me, the waste. Its not even
like she eats half or most. Its a little bit, and not really
something else (like a friend) would want after she has licked it and
let it get all melty.-=-
What if you took a plastic container and a spoon, and she put it in
there. You could snap the lid on. She might like it better after
it's melty. You could take it home for the dog or the cat if she
doesn't finish it, maybe? I'd take a ziploc bag to keep it in.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Sandra Dodd
-=-I would consider other options. What about giving her some ice cream
before you leave home? -=-
If I smell popcorn and I haven't had any for a while, I want some.
So I started "popcorn innoculation" for me. When I'm going to go to
a movie, I make microwave popcorn and eat it before we leave or on
the way. Then when I get there the popcorn doesn't smell so good.
Maybe eating ice cream before you go would work.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
before you leave home? -=-
If I smell popcorn and I haven't had any for a while, I want some.
So I started "popcorn innoculation" for me. When I'm going to go to
a movie, I make microwave popcorn and eat it before we leave or on
the way. Then when I get there the popcorn doesn't smell so good.
Maybe eating ice cream before you go would work.
Sandra
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Melissa Dietrick
> What if you took a plastic container and a spoon, and she put it inmatteo (ds3, now 14y) has always loved icecream, but he cant eat it
> there. You could snap the lid on. She might like it better after
> it's melty. You could take it home for the dog or the cat if she
> doesn't finish it, maybe? I'd take a ziploc bag to keep it in.
very fast as he doesnt like the coldness (lol-!) so whenever we bought
a cone for him, we would ask for a cup and spoon as well. This way he
could let it melt, eat the cone dipped in the melted icecream and
slurp away as slowly as he pleased.
He still prefers melted icecream to frozen....it could be that it is
just too cold for her to eat quickly, but she doesnt like the
messyness of it when she doesnt.
Gioele my 7th who is only 2.75, seems to be the same...
melissa
in italy
mamma of7
Jenny C
> I hate paying for them not to get eaten. 2$ a day turns into 8$ aI'm curious if she varies her choices? In the past my kids have always
> week (if we go to the park 4 times), etc.
> I dont mind if she eats ice cream, I would not mind paying 8$ a week
> if she was eating them. I get ice coffee most days, which is 2$ or
> so, and I see it as similar. But, to just toss it?
like the $.50 ones the best. Usually all the trucks, at least around
here have mostly the $1.50-$3 options with at least one $.50 variety.
It's generally the plain popcycle, no icecream. I guess my pocket book
was lucky with my kids!
We used to keep a coin collection by the front door of our house for the
ice cream truck that would go by, since we live a block from the park.
I'd always take change with me to the park. I did that enough times and
the kids don't really ask anymore, they aren't really interested, and
one is still 6, so still at the age of wanting goodies from melodic
trucks, if she was interested. I don't rule out the possibility
entirely.
I also made a point of filling our freezer with goodies that the kids
really really liked. I still do that. I have vocally compared prices
at the store with what you can get for the same price as the ice cream
vendor, but soooo much more.
Also, someone else suggested putting the leftover in a container to take
home. We have a cute little book called Ice Cream Star Soup where the
girl in the story did exactly that to share with her stuffed animal
friend and then helped her friend finish her portion of soup. It's
cute, written by the same person who wrote Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse,
can't remember the name of the author at the moment and I don't want to
go searching for the book just right now.
The other thing that I do, is to let go of any attatchment to wether my
kids finish anything that I buy them to eat. I can pretend that they
ate every last bite and that they got the same value out of it as if
they only ate one. Sometimes the value is in the having the item, the
fun of buying it, not wether or not one actually consumes it.
Clearly your daughter sees buying icecream as part of the park
experience of summer.
MLewis
>I hate paying for them not to get eaten. 2$ a day turns into 8$ aBut if you think about it, once you've consumed your $2 dollar drink,
>week (if we go to the park 4 times), etc.
>I dont mind if she eats ice cream, I would not mind paying 8$ a week
>if she was eating them. I get ice coffee most days, which is 2$ or
>so, and I see it as similar. But, to just toss it?
it's gone too. If she ate the whole ice cream it would be gone. I
doubt you'd feel estatic if she ate it all. You probably wouldn't
feel much of anything. So the distance between her eating it all and
you feeling not much and her NOT eating it all and you feeling irked
is a pretty short distance indeed. Instead of thinking that you've
paid for the ice cream you could think that you paid for her to have
the fun of standing with other kids in line. You've paid for her to
have the fun of looking at the pictures and choosing her treat.
You've paid for a summer tradition;-)
Mary
Pam Tellew
What about giving her the money you would willingly spend on ice
cream if she were enjoying it, say as a lump sum for the week, and
help her see some of the other things she could spend it on? It
might work eventually, but maybe not. I know when my boys were this
age, they really didn't get saving and spending concepts yet. My
youngest wanted ice cream every time the truck came around until he
was eight. Then he finally understood what I'd been saying about how
we could buy it so much cheaper at Safeway and he stopped wanting
it. But that wouldn't have happened when he was 4.
The ice cream truck is pretty exciting.
Pam
cream if she were enjoying it, say as a lump sum for the week, and
help her see some of the other things she could spend it on? It
might work eventually, but maybe not. I know when my boys were this
age, they really didn't get saving and spending concepts yet. My
youngest wanted ice cream every time the truck came around until he
was eight. Then he finally understood what I'd been saying about how
we could buy it so much cheaper at Safeway and he stopped wanting
it. But that wouldn't have happened when he was 4.
The ice cream truck is pretty exciting.
Pam
Pamela Sorooshian
On Jul 16, 2008, at 1:39 PM, Pam Tellew wrote:
for the extra entertainment and excitement of buying something off the
ice cream truck.
When we were in Manhattan a few weeks ago - we bought stuff from
street vendors. Hot dogs, pretzels, kabob, nuts - it was all so much
fun. Some of them weren't good though. I'd forgotten that I like meat
ONLY when very very well done - decided to dump the entire kabob into
the nearest trash can. Still, I paid for the experience as much as for
the food.
-pam
> The ice cream truck is pretty exciting.That's what I was thinking. Maybe just think of it as park admission -
for the extra entertainment and excitement of buying something off the
ice cream truck.
When we were in Manhattan a few weeks ago - we bought stuff from
street vendors. Hot dogs, pretzels, kabob, nuts - it was all so much
fun. Some of them weren't good though. I'd forgotten that I like meat
ONLY when very very well done - decided to dump the entire kabob into
the nearest trash can. Still, I paid for the experience as much as for
the food.
-pam
graberamy
<<<Instead of thinking that you've
doesn't allow ice cream trucks! I grew up out east and we had all
kinds of ice cream trucks (good humor, italian ice, even a ride
truck)! I would love for my kids to know the excitement that little
bell can bring!
amy g
iowa (anti ice cream truck state)
> paid for the ice cream you could think that you paid for her to haveThis is a great way to look at it. I live in a city/state(?) that
> the fun of standing with other kids in line. You've paid for her to
> have the fun of looking at the pictures and choosing her treat.
> You've paid for a summer tradition;-)>>>>
doesn't allow ice cream trucks! I grew up out east and we had all
kinds of ice cream trucks (good humor, italian ice, even a ride
truck)! I would love for my kids to know the excitement that little
bell can bring!
amy g
iowa (anti ice cream truck state)
k
>Wow. I always knew there was weirdness in the heartland of America. Ain't
> iowa (anti ice cream truck state)
ice cream as American as apple pie? Anti ice cream truck state... It's not
their state motto, is it?
~Katherine
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
graberamy
<<It's not
Apparently quite awhile ago, a child was hit by an ice cream truck and
killed and they've been banned them ever since. Someone tried to
propose new legislation last year, but they were de...nied!
Ya know what else they do here that's weird??? They don't trick or
treat on Halloween. Nope, they trick or treat the night before, they
call it beggars night. Maybe they think the pedophiles won't figure
it out??? ;)
amy g
iowa (home of the stupid pedophiles
> their state motto, is it?>>>lol... no!
Apparently quite awhile ago, a child was hit by an ice cream truck and
killed and they've been banned them ever since. Someone tried to
propose new legislation last year, but they were de...nied!
Ya know what else they do here that's weird??? They don't trick or
treat on Halloween. Nope, they trick or treat the night before, they
call it beggars night. Maybe they think the pedophiles won't figure
it out??? ;)
amy g
iowa (home of the stupid pedophiles
k
Maybe they voted in something else "needed" along with the maybe popular
notion of banning Halloween, and that's why that's even there. I can hardly
wait to take ds trick or treating (if he wants to).
~Katherine and it's not even August yet
notion of banning Halloween, and that's why that's even there. I can hardly
wait to take ds trick or treating (if he wants to).
~Katherine and it's not even August yet
On Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 10:01 PM, graberamy <graber@...> wrote:
> <<It's not
> > their state motto, is it?>>>
>
> lol... no!
>
> Apparently quite awhile ago, a child was hit by an ice cream truck and
> killed and they've been banned them ever since. Someone tried to
> propose new legislation last year, but they were de...nied!
>
> Ya know what else they do here that's weird??? They don't trick or
> treat on Halloween. Nope, they trick or treat the night before, they
> call it beggars night. Maybe they think the pedophiles won't figure
> it out??? ;)
>
> amy g
> iowa (home of the stupid pedophiles
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]