The great ice-cream sandwich lesson

On our last trip, my kids ate about zero vegetables and a lot more sweets than I felt comfortable with. At home, I do my best to teach them how to care for their bodies and their minds. Sometimes I mess up…

And this is one of those moments.

It was our last day away and my kids were on their second ice cream for the day. As my son unwrapped his ice cream sandwich, I began to remind him that he really hadn’t been supporting his body well with this choice. He looked at me, with frustrated tears and said, can’t I just enjoy my ice cream??

Ouch.

He was so right. What’s the point in making a choice and then depriving ourselves of the joy of it? I have worked so hard to remind myself of this, but it creeps back in - a bad habit. I was so grateful he recognized it. Eating a ton of sugar may not great, but neither is denying ourselves joy. My mind has linked deprivation and achievement for so long, it’s a tough one for me to break. Many of us deprive ourselves, and not just of food. We push away compliments, love, kind words, money, gifts, joy, even feelings of worthiness. I hope you use this ice cream sandwich lesson next time you get the chance to celebrate or relish life’s moments, big or small.

The lesson stung, but stuck with me. Healthy thoughts are vital. Keeping the big picture in mind is crucial. We are back home and eating well, none the worse for a few extra ice creams. Thank you to my kiddos for also being my teachers. A reminder that wisdom comes in all shapes and sizes and from any direction if we are open to it.

Thanks to my son for reminding me the world is not as simple as black and white, but a spectacular array of shades of grey.