I Bribed My Child to go to School

Maybe You Should Too

What started as a bribe has now turned into a family tradition. When my son began Pre-K, he absolutely refused to go back the second day. My husband was traveling for work. My 2-year-old was crying in the car seat. I just wanted my son to get out of the car, go into school so people would stop looking at me. In my desperation, I told him that if he got out of the car we would have ice cream sundaes that night, and he could pick any toppings he wanted.

We have had Back to School Sundaes and End of School Sundaes ever since! Cousins, foster children in our home, and friends have joined us throughout the years, but sometimes it’s just us. The kids still pick out a whole bunch of toppings and pile them on multiple types of ice creams. This family tradition gets us through that first week of school, and it gives us the energy to finish that last week of school.

Here are a few pictures of my kiddos through the years enjoying their ice cream sundaes.

I’m not saying this was a genius parent win, but I am thankful that we stumbled into these wonderful family traditions. Some of our friends have also implemented this tradition in their homes or in their churches. Every year when I post the pics on social media, people comment that they have been waiting to see our Back to School Sundae pics.

Do you have any family traditions that make getting back in the routine of school easier? I’d love to hear about them, but I’m sticking with the ice cream!!!

Fostering Independence: Back-to-School Tips for Parents and Kids before all of this went down.

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