Ice cream truck woes....

Last summer Nick thought this was just a cool truck that played music. A month ago, he figured out it it sells ice cream and our outdoor time got really frustrating! This truck comes by our house at least once a day (one day it came 6 times!) and the music is so loud you can hear it in the surrounding neighborhoods, which gets him excited. The problem I am having is setting limits when the three houses around us let their kids buy ice cream everytime it comes by. We live in a cul de sac, so it always stops right in front of our house and he sees 5 kids walking around with their ice cream.

How do I set limits? Do you think I should start giving him an allowance? Would he even understand the concept of budgeting? lol He can't get it in his head that we don't have to buy the ice cream since everyone else is.

Thanks!

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

we call him the ding ding man because he doesnt play music he rings a bell. he figured out real fast what he is all about because he used to wake up from his naps when he would hear him in the neighborhood. now he doesnt nap anymore :( but it has been easier to tell him no and he listens. we just let him have a treat once in a while, he doesnt seem to mind when he goes by and gets nothing. the older he has gotten the easier it has gotten, i thought it would be the other way around :)

Susan,

I don't have much advice--other than to say that you should set limits, such as allowing your son to get ice cream once a week.

I have to admit, though, that I started laughing when I read that the truck came by 6 times in one day--you must feel as if you are being terrorized by the ice cream guy. That is completely absurd--and sounds like the perfect idea for an episode of a tv show or a short story--too bad it is your reality. I feel for you.

I don't have any suggestions but this makes me so glad that we don't have any ice cream trucks here! I know DS would be the same way! Tonight he was talking about going to buy something and I asked where he thought the money comes from. He says "hmmm...the money store!" At least he doesn't think it grows on trees!

I guess I'd just decide how often he can have it and tell him how it's going to be. Eventually he'll get the message!

FWIW I think that John Rosemond does mention giving an allowance to kids this age. I might be wrong, but I'll see if I can find the book that I read when we were trying to set limits for my stepsons.

Good luck!!

I definately want to set limits, it is just proving hard when all the kids he is playing with are getting the ice cream. Their parents don't mind buying it everytime, which is absurd since it's 2 bucks a pop! They even go in search of the stupid truck.

Lately we have been staying inside when I think it will be coming.

Oh, and the day it came by 6 times was the worst day of my life. Not only it is pass by, but you could hear it for like 2 hours straight. I think they get lost in the subdivisions.


Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

I'm not sure if this trick will work with your DS, but it works with us (DS is a little younger than yours). I pick up popsicles, fudgesicles, whatever I think he'd like out of the ice cream truck at the supermarket (way cheaper and probably not as gross). I make sure DS sees them in the cart or when I come home from the store. Then, when the ice cream truck comes buy, I can say, no we have it at home for after lunch or dinner (depending on the time of day). DS doesn't get it everyday as a treat, but a couple of times a week. This approach seems to work for us. I think he gets his wants acknowledged and I don't think it really matters to him whether it comes from the truck or not.

Also, did you know that in most areas (at least around here) it is actually against the law for the trucks to drive around with the music on? Apparently it is a child risk, since the kids will run into the street to get to the truck. If you are really annoyed at the truck, get the info off the side and call the company/cops and make his life as difficult as yours!

HTH,

Sarah
Alex 3/02
Catherine 8/03

I have no suggestions other than to talk to the driver or call the company--for heaven's sake, 6 times?! You have my sympathies. He's obviously coming around that much because he's getting reinforced with the business the neighbors are giving him!

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, who is TWO!

Go to the park, Susan, and get out of your cul-de-sac. :) Seriously, I would try to divert attention, go ahead and set whatever limits you are comfortable with - 1 item from the truck a week or a treat at home with Mommy or whatever. I'm not sure about the allowance issue, but I do think he's old enough to understand responsibility. Perhaps you could give him particular tasks that let him earn an ice cream or something like that.

Having an ice cream truck in my neighborhood would drive me crazy, even if DS wasn't interested in it. I feel for you.

I used to love the pink panther one with the bubble gum on it! My mom got tired of me asking for the ice cream truck popsicles all the time, she decided to charge us (25 cents) for popsicles from the freezer. Then whenever there was enough money in the thing to buy a popsicle from the ice cream man, we could take that money and buy one from the ice cream man. I'll tell you what - this approach made me feel so disrespected. So, I wouldn't suggest this approach (I still feel jaded 15-20 years later!!!).

I think if you say "you can have one from the ice cream truck once a week/month/whatever" then at least he has an idea of when he can get one, and when the next time will be. That approach would've worked better for me as a kid.

-Elizabeth