Sounds like a great title for a movie, doesn't it? What you see in this photo is my (current) favourite Starbucks drink, a Java Chip Frappuccino. Here is the description provided on the Starbucks website: Coffee, chocolate and chocolate chips blended with ice, topped with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. It's my spring treat and I had a free beverage card because they forgot my order on one of my recent trips.
I planned to go to Starbucks yesterday with the children on our way home from the airport. I'm not sure what happened but bickering broke out in the back two seats of the van. What started as an attempt to begin our time without Daddy on a fun note quickly turned ugly. I gotta tell you, I wanted coffee. Badly. I gave a few soft warnings but didn't make the final decision until I had pulled into the Starbucks parking lot. I bypassed the empty parking spaces and headed for the exit, turned on the signal light, and voiced my decision that we were heading home sans treat. There were tears and a few, "No Mommy! We'll be good"s from the backseat, but I stood my ground. I know that I'm sometimes not very good on the follow-through. I want them to know that I'm serious when I talk of consequences for behaviour. But, ahem, I wanted a coffee! I think in this case it truly hurt me more than it hurt them.
We arrived home and I directed everyone to find something quiet to do until I called that we would begin school. I found something quiet to do as well. This instruction was followed surprisingly well, as was my call to begin schoolwork a short while later. Sometimes we all just need an opportunity to get back on track. I don't like being the disciplinarian and I know that I am softer with them than I thought I'd be. The results were worth it, we had a great day after our bad start.
And now, today. Schoolwork and music practice were completed in the morning with diligence and just a few complaints (hey, we're not perfect!). At lunch I suggested that we head to the library this afternoon and stop by Starbucks on the way home. This outing was completely different as I was accompanied by four well-behaved and respectful children. We had fun and brought joy to each other. The treat was truly appreciated and not an expectation. What a huge lesson we all learned!
Oh, and a definite bonus! I paid for a DVD we'd borrowed from the library before Christmas and thought we'd lost. I found it and was refunded $25.08. Sweet!
While I was typing this, I finished my Frappuccino....sluuuuurrrrppppp!
More later.
5 comments:
Oh goodness how many WW points is THAT? LOL
And how many Frappuccinos can you buy with $25.08????
You mean I'm not the only mom who has turned the car around and headed home instead? I feel better now. Thank you.
lol M...I would have done similar, but I would have gotten MY coffee anyway, well I don't drink coffee, so it would have been chai tea and then let them SMELL it all the way home hehehehehehe
We've done similar things aswell, but like the poster above, we've gotten our treat.
Looks yumm-o!!
I hate when I have to give up my treat because they're being bad but it does make life easier in the long run, doesn't it? *sigh*
I'm glad you got to have your coffee later anyway. Although iced coffee is gross...
I hate it when that happens! I always end up angrier than I should be because I've been denied my treat lol ;). Good for you for following it too, and I may just have to give in and try one of those next time now that I've seen yours ;). ((Hugs))
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