Seeing Halos

My daughter is a part-time angel who’s off on weekends.

I – Scream!

Interesting how I may have discovered the inspiration for the “Ice Cream, You Scream” marketing slogan.  No, it wasn’t through a documentary on dairy cows, but rather a recurring episode of “Toddlers and Tantrums.”  The latest episode of T & T was extremely enlightening as it revealed the producers and actresses heated moments of artistic expression through multiple takes and edits to condense it to the playful, 30-second spot we’ve grown to love.

My tot, the T & T star, knows that simply screaming for ice cream in Take 1 simply won’t cut it.  So in Take 2, she multi-tasks into a shrieking, begging, pouting, tearful rage.  Even with the amped up water works, I said no.

“You have to eat.”

“I don’t wanna eeeeat, I want iscreeeem!”

“I said no, you have to eat.”

“I’m not hungry!”

Too late, her meal was already on the table.

She sat down with a defiant thud, pursed lips and crossed arms.

But eventually she began to eat.

A cup of water placed before her however, quickly reignited her temper.

“I want juice!”

“Well, you’re getting water!”

“I don’t want water, I want juice!”

I wasn’t in the bargaining mood today.

“I already answered you, now finish eating!”

Eventually she did.

“Mommy look, I ate all my food!” She said with a full stomach and a lighter mood. I expected another request for ice-cream, but instead she went to bed.

Her clean plate assured me of what I already knew. My daughter’s snack request was inadequate when what she needed was a meal. She didn’t get what she wanted, but what she needed. In the end, what she needed was what she wanted all along.