Toppings or no toppings?

The boys are downstairs blasting the Star Wars soundtrack and having sword fights with Daddy, hopped up on Girl Scout cookies. I had expressly forbidden RT to bring them into the house (the cookies, not the boys) because a) I don't like them, and b) I eat them anyway until I'm sick. But a group of enterprising girls set up shop outside the sanctuary at church, and RT bought a few boxes and told the boys they could have one of each kind when they got home. Which put me, as always, in the position of being the mean witch who spoils all the fun. I've been trying to loosen up, so I went with my Nice Mommy persona and let it go today. And had quite a few cookies myself. Blech.

The thing is, I don't want my little guys to feel entitled to all the extras all the time, be it sweets, television, toys, what have you. Whereas RT worries that they'll feel deprived if they don't get the extras. Same ol', same ol', same ol' story. Case in point: TZ had a tantrum the other night because I made an executive decision to go to Los Altos Creamery--new and wonderful and yummy. He wanted to go to Miyo for frozen yogurt because, he insisted, he liked frozen yogurt better. Which is such a crock. He likes Miyo because he gets way more creamy goodness (you get to serve yourself) and two toppings instead of zero. RT actually used to let him get four until I had a tantrum of my own.

I called TZ's bluff and he folded right away, and then demanded--demanded--that if we had to get ice cream, he be allowed to get toppings. See what I mean about feeling entitled to the extras? Maybe it's mean, but this is where I draw the line. Because what's wrong with ice cream without toppings? Since when is that not enough? Why should a kid think he deserves more?

In the car, after threatening to stay home and then caving, and having lost the topping battle, my little darling snarled, "If I don't get toppings, then I get to have a sprinkle cone." Again with the attitude. I can't stand that.

Of course, once we arrived at the Creamery (which stayed open extra late for us--that's how great they are) and TZ got a few licks of his cone, all was well again.