The Great Ice Cream Dilemna

A few weeks ago we were at Pookie's soccer practice. When it was over, I got it in my head that it would be fun to take the kids to get some ice cream. So I suggested it to them, and of course they hooped and hollered and in general agreed with the idea.

"Okay, so where should we go? Lion's Choice?" I said, thinking that would be the easiest and cheapest route.

"Oh, yeah, Lion's Choice, I LOVE Lion's Choice!" said Buddy.

"No, I think we should go to Culver's" said Pookie.

So I told them they would have to work out where we went, and as long as they could come to an agreement, the ice cream deal was still on. I listened to them bicker a little bit in the back seat, then go to the old standby of rock-paper scissors. Buddy won, and immediately Pookie started a very quiet meltdown of crying silently and pouting.

There is nothing that I can't stand more then whining and pouting. It is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I was about to rescind the offer of ice cream when Buddy took a deep breath and announced, "Well, I won, and I choose to go to (dramatic pause) CULVERS!!"

I was puzzled. He was the one pulling for Lion's Choice. So I asked him why he changed his mind.

"Well, I don't like to see Pookie cry."

My heart melted at this little boy showing compassion to his big sister. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw him smiling at her, as if to say, see, isn't it all better now? As if their roles had switched, and he was now the big brother.

I pointed the car in the direction of Culver's, all the while wondering if I should address the pouting, or would that lessen Buddy's offer? So I just made up some generic little mommy speech about how nice Buddy was being and Pookie would have to remember this the next time she won the high-stakes game of rock-paper-scissors. Blah blah blah.

I still wonder about it, though.