Oh no! Not the Popsicle Privileges!

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photo by JeffS

This year was the first time that the kids have gone to Vacation Bible School where I didn’t stay and volunteer.  Two of the days of VBS week found me hanging out in a local Panera chatting on Facebook working on my blogs.

On the first day I was there, two mothers came in with their four children (between the two of them).  All of the children were probably older toddlers to preschool age.  And, before I go on, please let me say that I have had children those ages, so I know they can be a little rowdy when spending large amounts of time in a restaurant.  I also know that I have said a lot of dumb things as a parent.  Okay, so back to my story.

The Moms were chatting and eventually, the children got to the point where they were running around on the seats.  (They were sitting on a very long bench seat that spans seven tables.)  For a while, the Moms didn’t say anything, then one Mom said something to her kids, Rhett and Sadie.  (Okay, I don’t really remember their names, but it was something like that.)

“Rhett and Sadie – you two need to sit down,” Mom said, as she paused her story to the other Mom.  The kids calmed for a moment.  But, they were up again in no time at all (along with some yelling).  Although, let’s give Sadie some slack — maybe she wasn’t doing it.  I wasn’t looking at them, and after this point, only Rhett was addressed.

“Rhett — do you want to lose your Popsicle privileges?  You need to sit down!”

Okay, so again with another aside.  I work as a therapist of kids with special needs, so I’m all about using what works well for each individual child.  (I often encourage parents to really try to figure out what is particularly motivating for their child.)  I just have never hear of Popsicle privileges.

Apparently Popsicle privileges were not enough of a draw for Rhett, who was up running on the bench again in no time.

“Rhett — you have lost your Popsicle privileges.”

Rhett hardly had time to catch his breath from running before he got up again.

“Rhett — would you like to lose more privileges than just your Popsicle privileges?”

I privately prayed at that point, “Yes, please do it, Rhett.  I want to know what kind of other privileges a kid with Popsicle privileges has.”

It was shortly thereafter, however, that Rhett, Sadie, and Mom left.  So, alas, I will never know what these other privileges might have been.  So, anyone want to take a stab at it?  Any guesses on what Rhett’s other privileges could have been?