Ice Cream = Happy

Brent has been sick for three days now.  I am pretty sure it started out as a cold, but I decided to take him to the doctor this morning because he hasn't been eating or sleeping - both of which he usually does a LOT more of when he's sick.   Throw in the low-grade fever and colored mucus and I figured it was a sinus infection.  The doctor didn't check for a sinus infection - but said he has an ear infection and the antibiotic will take care of all of it.

I don't often remember to count my blessings.  I am thankful for the fact that this is only my son's second ear infection (his first one was 11 months ago) and he is going to be three in two days!  As a child (and adult) that has chronic ear infections, I am so, so, so thankful that he doesn't seem to have the issues I do.

So, anyway, when I knew we were headed to the doctor this morning, I started prepping him.  Telling him how he would stand on the scale, get his temperature taken, the doctor would look in his mouth, ears, and listen to his chest and back.  Then I did it - I bribed him: "We'll get ice cream afterwards if you're a good boy!"  (Ice cream is the only thing he has wanted to eat in two days...)

Saying that he was well-behaved at the doctor is an understatement...and was worth every penny of the dollar I spent at McDonald's for the mini sundae.  In fact, I probably would have paid $10.

As a teacher, I really didn't like parents that bribed their children.  What does it teach them?  To expect something for doing something they should be doing anyway.  I vowed every day that I dealt with a bribed child that I would never, ever, ever bribe my child.  You really don't know anything until you have kids.

Bribery makes life SO much simpler.  They are happy, you are happy, life is good.  Somewhere down the road, I may come to regret this.  I keep telling myself consistency is key.  That really is true in all aspects of parenting.  Had I promised him ice cream and he had not behaved at the doctor, I would have had to explain that he didn't earn the ice cream.  Maybe when he isn't a toddler I will have the ability to say, "if you misbehave at the doctor, I will make your life miserable."  For now, a tantrum-free, cooperative visit to the doctor is well-worth a bowl of ice cream.

I think I'll just tell myself that bribery is really "positive reinforcement"...