Here’s a common scenario at my house and I could use some advice on how to handle it.

It’s 7pm (30 minutes before bedtime) and my daughter is eating a single serving cup of ice cream.  It’s tiny, really.

Having this little cup of ice cream has become such a habit for her that if we run out or I say no, she thinks the world must be coming to an end.  Or that her big brother needs to walk to the store and get some ice cream.

Ok, she’s not that dramatic but here’s the thing..

My kids eat one of these single serving ice cream cups almost every night after dinner or before bed.  I know it’s not great for them but it’s what they do.  It’s one of those tiny one serving ice cream cups. So yummy!  Anyway, I know they shouldn’t be eating ice cream every day especially before bed.  That’s a bad habit. I know that.

The kids eat very well otherwise.  They love vegetables and fruit and have them with lunch and dinner and generally eat very healthy, mostly organic food.  We don’t eat junk food like cookies or sweets.  We just don’t keep them in the house.

The kids don’t drink juice.  They drink water and milk. That’s a plus, right?

I guess that’s how I’ve convinced myself that eating a BLUE BELL single serving ice cream every night is OK.  But is it really OK.  Maybe it is.  This is me arguing with myself.

The reality of the situation is that..

I don’t want to deal the drama with that comes with breaking their habit.

Then I have to deal with fussing and I don’t want to do that.

Have you had to break your child(ren) of  a bad habit which resulted in you dealing with huge amounts of fussing and stress?
How did you do it?  Bribery, cold turkey and Xanax (for you, not the kids)?