I spent 5 summers selling Ice Cream to neighborhoods in the 70s. It helped me get through college, and was a great summer job. Just because you cannot say no to your own child, why do you want to spoil it for others. When I raised my children, I gave them an Ice cream allowance which allowed them to buy the frozen treats 2 or 3 times a week. I resent the implication that Ice cream peddlers are pedophiles, or criminals. I had to pass an extensive background check before I got the job even in 1970. If one had even one traffic ticket, they could not get the job. I am a grandmother, mother of three healthy adult children, a Registered ER Nurse, and have a BS in psychology. Selling Ice cream gave me so many skill that I use today, I cant begin to list them. Get a Life and learn to tell your kids no.

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I agree with Margaret,learn to say no to them and stop bitching.
Being able to buy a frozen treat from the truck gave me many happy memories as a child,and my children have them now.
I am sick and tired of people doing this kind of shit.
Find something meaningful to protest,this is just stupid.

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Sarah,

You and the others who are complaining about ice cream trucks are all aholes.

Seriously are you kidding me?

Two wars, healthcare, unemployment and this is what you complain about. Come on!!!!!

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Sarah,

If you are unable to conquer ice cream truck issues with your young children, you are in for big problems as your children get older! The most amazing thing that I read in your article (besides that you actually hold the view that you blogged about)was that a parent would actually avoid a fair or festival because sweet treats are sold in carts. Are you serious? Your poor children are going to have serious issues if you do not teach your children the word "no" and that you mean "no" when you say "no". This seems to be a common theme among the children of today. I can not even imagine avioding something because my children would be upset because they couldn't get something while they were there! This blog was amazingly ignorant. Good luck to you and your children.

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While I do not think that ice cream trucks should be banned (sure, get the government involved in that, too), I do not think that was the initial point of the article. The author said ice cream trucks exploit children by unfair marketing, meaning, if the truck sits right at a playground, drives by your house, etc., then it is impossible to avoid. I do not think she had a difficult time saying no to her kids; it was just irritating that they would lurk around hoping to make a sale and they are impossible to avoid because they are mobile.

ALL kids (your kids, the kids of "today," and the perfect kids of yesteryear when they were allegedly better behaved) would whine to their parents in some capacity to get ice cream, whether the parent said no or OK. You are implying that the author needs to lighten up, but it is the rest of you who need to chill out--she is taking a seemingly innocuous and traditional thing, ice cream trucks, and asking people to look at it in a different light, which is clever, whether you agree with her or not.

So...if you are craving more intelligent and passionate discourse about wars, healthcare, and unemployment, then you will surely find those topics saturating the Internet. Run along!

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Jesus christ you're whining about business? Why not make candy stores illegal too because your kids want candy?

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Silliness! Maybe you should start by teaching your children some self control. You must lack parenting skills if your children can't hear no and you feel the need to avoid the farmers market. Shame on you for wanting to ruin the ding ding man for all the other better behaved deserving children. Have you lost your liberal mind? Sad that in the US you're given the right to take the rights away from others if you whine enough. BE A STRONGER PARENT!

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Get a grip! You don't want your child to have ice cream, just say NO
Its as simple as that, Though, I guess if they are spoiled its not so simple.

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you know , i kept waiting for some REAL reason for the NO ICE CREAM TRUCK complaint.
I figured she realized they Over INFLATE the prices.. or the candy was not fresh. The drivers where she is are nasty dirty and rarely speak English. SOME THING.. but her complaint is simply the music is too hard for her to Say NO to it? Her children drive her nuts till she buys them ICE CREAM? THIS IS A "KNOW HOW" parenting issue not a EVIL on a stick issue. Ever think that you can tell the Kiddies.. "NO.. but "IF" you are good.. mommy MIGHT get some sort of treat after we do the shopping?" where is the real writing in here?

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This is a sad article indeed. Too bad you were never a child. You must be from the south.

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This has to be the silliest most bizarre example of parenting today. Can you not remember what a special treat it was when as a child you were *permitted* to get an ice cream when your Parents said it was ok? It is your responsibility to teach your child early in life that they cannot have or are entitled to everything they want and see. We as children loved hearing and seeing the ice cream trucks, and delighted when our Parents said it was ok to have them. If your children have not learned limits, discipline and boundaries now, they will have a rude wakeup call once they mature an enter the workforce. "JUST SAY NO". Rather than being worried about the exhaust from the ice cream trucks, educate yourself on the true sources of pollution in your area, and I can assure you they are not ice cream trucks. Get involved in caring for your children's health, safety and well being by doing something that may make a difference once they're grown - enter your zip code in "My Environment" to see who's poisoning your air and let the ice cream man alone http://www.epa.gov/. Geez, if you don't like the guy at the playground take the kids to a different one since you don't seem to have educated your children or given them standards that will help them become responsible adults. If your posting wasn't a joke, it should be.

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Grow up and be a parent! This borders on ridiculous and insulting.

I suppose next will be billboards and advertising just so you don't have to say NO to your child.

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Maybe you could learn to say "No" to your kids. Hey, there's a novel idea!

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Sarah, the economy is already in a recession, why would are looking to put more ppl out of work?

I agree with all of you! especially RJ - but here's my deal....why not avoid McDonald's? There are plenty more of them than ice cream trucks. I can't remember the last time I've seen an ice cream truck...my mistake I mean the last time I've heard an ice cream truck coming! Oh how I wish ice cream trucks did comeback - any one remember the choco tacos and WWF ice cream bars? Sarah, the economy is already in a recession, why would are looking to put more ppl out of work?

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Hey Lady, If I've gotta listen to your screaming brat everywhere from the theater to the restaurant and beyond.
You can listen to the jingle of my ice cream bells!
Whats next???? GEEZ

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I drove an ice cream truck for a summer and it was wonderful! I drove the truck in an upper class neighborhood, so I could see some children who were spoiled, well dressed and happy, to compensate for all the memories of a previous child protection job, where the kids were abused and neglected. I have a masters degree and love kids. I even delivered to the local factories and construction sights, so the adults loved it, too. My favorite event occurred at a restaurant, while I was eating a quick lunch. One young child from the neighborhood came in, and shouted excitedely to his mom, "look mom, it's the ice cream man!" I happen to be a woman! ( It's just that when I came driving down the street, everyone yelled "here comes the ice cream man," so he was just screaming what he heard every day!)

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I am glad that all but one person agrees with me. You must be a bad parent to be worried you wont be able to control your child. I grew up with not only the MR SOFFTIE truck but also MR BOILS hard ice cream truk. We even had a truck with a small ammusment ride on it called the WHIP.
Wow those child hood memories are great.

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we should ban these idiots from having kids!

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ICE CREAM is...and should be, a part of every child's summer.


i lost my son in 2007...


and, i only wish...i could still buy him ice cream.



i can not believe the 'petty' issues.

that some people think are important.


i am sorry... that you can not see the 'big picture' in this life

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Maybe the ones that do the hiring for the ice cream truck drivers should make them go through an extensive background check to make sure they aren't on the pedophile list or have warrants out for their arrest or whatever else. There could be a law passed or something to ensure safety behind the wheel of an ice cream truck. I love ice cream trucks; and used to get ice cream from them back in the 70s and 80s. But I can understand where parents are concerned; they have every right to be.

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