A Mother's Rant

I knew this world was crazy, but what I heard on the news this morning still caused my jaw to drop a bit. A group of mothers in New York have banned together in an attempt to - get this - ban the ice cream truck from coming into the park. Their reason? To put it bluntly, they are lazy parents who don't want the inconvenience of having to tell their child no, and hear him complain. First of all, why can't a child have the privilege of an ice cream? I fully understand the rise of obesity in our country and I understand you can't indulge your kids 24/7...but, an ice cream every once in a while isn't going to make your child fat. And come on, what kid doesn't light up at the sound of the ice cream truck? Shoot, what adult doesn't light up at the sound of the ice cream truck? There is something nostalgic in that sound, a fond memory of a simpler time. Ok, I'm not that old, but you get what I'm saying. It's iconic. It's the ICE CREAM TRUCK! I just think people get too wrapped up in outward appearances. They are too worried that their child won't be bone thin or have perfect teeth or clear skin. Of course I don't want my children to be unhealthy, I always want what's best for them. But, I want them to be healthy and happy. Kids deserve a little treat now and again. And what about the other moms, who think the ice cream truck is a nice way to treat their kids after a hot day in the park? You can't take away something special from everyone else just because a few hot heads want their way. What happened to restraint? Isn't that a lesson to teach our children? Life is all about seeing right and wrong every day and making the choice to do right. There will always be temptations in this life, learning to deal with that is crucial to a child's development. You can't just expect evil to go away, so your choice will be easy. If children grow up that way, they will not be able to function in our society. They need to know that making the choice to do the right thing is sometimes very difficult but you do it anyways. Our children are faced with good and bad every day, the only way they will get through life in one piece is if we teach them solid values at home. What happens when these mothers pass an ice cream shop? Do they go in and demand the business close up and move away because their child is too tempted? We share this planet with millions of other people. Everyone will not be happy 100% of the time, no matter what. If a little old ice cream truck is that big of a deal, go to a different park or stay home. Don't ruin it for everyone else just because you are a killjoy. If your child has a weight problem or you are genuinely concerned for their health, get a popsicle or something with less calories than ice cream. Or if you are just dead set against ice cream, which is your prerogative, just bring a different snack for your child. There are compromises sometimes. And the bottom line is YOU are the parent. If your child can't have an ice cream, tell him no and let that be the end of it! If you are that afraid of confronting your child, you have bigger issues than ice cream. The important thing in every issue we face with out children is that there is a balance. You can't go too far right or left. Just try to be reasonable about things and always keep the right attitude. I have had to tell my kids no on many occasions and it hasn't killed me - or them - yet. "No" is just as much a part of our life as "yes". The sooner they realize this, the better. Just my opinion : )