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Mum throws out kid’s ice cream after they failed to acknowledge or thank the teenage worker who served them.

Jaime Primak Sullivan shared the details of the incident in a Facebook post, explaining her motive behind becoming, as her kids called her, the “Meanest Mom Ever” for tossing out their ice cream. Her children were 8, 7 and 5 years old.

Here’s What Happened

Took the kids to the ice-cream shop after dinner. They ordered their dessert choices and we waited about 5 minutes for them to call out our number. The young lady (maybe 17) handed each child their ice cream. Not one looked her in the eye. Not one said thank you. Not to her, not to me… So I waited. I counted to 10 in my head as they dug into their ice cream and the young lady just looked at me (probably because she thought I was hearing voices) and I watched as my children strolled out the door. I followed them outside where I calmly collected their ice creams and my kids watched in horror as I deposited them into the nearby garbage bin. All 3 launched into mass hysteria. I waited. Quiet. Calm. When they realised I had something to say, they quieted down.”

The Lesson

I explained that one day, if they were lucky, they would work a job like that young lady. And I would hope that people would see them. Really see them. Look them in the eye and say thank you. We are too old at 8/7/5 to move through our days without exercising manners and honestly basic human decency.”

 So today, I am the meanest mom in the world.”

Her post has been shared over 51 thousand times and counting, but not everyone agrees with her decision. There are plenty of people claiming she overreacted. Some even went so far as to claim she traumatised her children. HUH!?

Not Everyone Agrees

One commenter wrote – “I know you are their mother, but in my opinion, I thought that was a bit over the top!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have made them go back in the ice cream place and apologise for not saying thank you. They are great kids, and this was quite harsh and this memory will really stay with them, even though I know you were trying to make a point.”

While another wrote – “Amen. I remember when my son was small and a lady gave him a sucker, I said what do you say? He said nothing. I handed it back to her and said thank you, but he doesn’t deserve the sucker. He had a fit, but I didn’t care. I told him if someone offers him a piece of paper you say thank you or no thank you. Manners matter!!!”

“Good job, mommy! I waitressed while I was in uni getting my teaching degree. I was disrespected many times by adults and also by some of their children who were never taught how to treat someone with respect. Proud of you for raising good human beings. Your children will remember this lesson and you will be rewarded one day when they teach THEIR children manners.”

Why She Did It

Primak Sullivan points out this is hardly the first time she’s tried to get her kids to be respectful and grateful to store employees.

But all the pleading and reminders failed to make a lasting impression, which is why this time she opted to do something they’ll never forget in hopes that the message finally sinks in.

“If I die tomorrow I’m leaving you with my three children and I would like the world to be better because they’re in it.”

I think if it makes the kid take notice of what is really important (like manners in this case) then sometimes it takes extreme action to drum it in.

Good on you mum!

How would you have reacted in a similar situation?

Share your comments below.

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  • I 100% agree with her. Brilliant parenting.

    Reply

  • A two year old asked for a Apple Fruit Drink and it was taken out of the fridge. He was gently reminded to say thank you but he turned away and basically refused. His Mum told him his Dad was putting it back in the fridge. (his Dad was holding the drink and standing next to the fridge – it wasn’t an empty threat) He said Thank You (quietly but he did say it) and was then given the drink. He has been saying please and thank you for about 3 or 4 months but has suddenly got lazy.

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  • By the sounds of it I’d say Mum has tried everything to make her children use manners. If this works then I’d say well done.

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  • I assume this mum tried to teach her kids before to say please and thank you. Teaching our kids gratitude is important and we ourselves are the most important example. Sometimes we have to be very consequent to get our message through (like in this story).

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  • Good on her I say. I couldn’t do it though, I would feel too bad. She’s a great mum.

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  • If mum has been trying to get this lesson learned by many other tactics, then this time it just might sink in. Good on her for trying to make manners used again in this world.

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  • A for sentiment but an F for execution. Yes they may remember that “lesson” but who wants to be taught by a bully? There wasn’t a warning before the “discipline” so of course they went into a meltdown. Prompting for manners needs to be done consistently. Young children can still need prompting even at that age. It’s not like they were teenagers. Glad you’re not my mum.
    PS: I have consistently (every single time) prompted my kids to say please and thank you. They are now both in school and I don’t need to prompt them anymore. They are frequently complimented on their manners.

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  • I applaud this kind of parenting. When my eldest child was about 5 yrs old we went shopping & I noticed my child had an apple in his hand after we passed a fruit & veg shop that we had not bought for him. I marched him straight into the shop for him to apologise for stealing it, the cashier tried to brush it off but I insisted he pay for it & learn a lesson from it. It may have seen harsh at the time but it was a lesson well learned & he never helped himself to things that were not his.

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  • If the kid had been told multiple times before this incident I think it was a fair reaction.

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  • Well done and good on you. I wish more parents would do this. We have raised a young, polite and respectful 17 year old son who has good manners that are often commented on. We are the minority as we are surrounded by rude, obnoxious, entitled, pampered children who do not know manners or respect. It’s societal and part of the bigger problem of the generation coming through. Cheers to this Mama.

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  • If it wasn’t the first time I can understand this. When I first read it I thought it was a little over the top, but if she had been telling them repeatedly, then good on her for making a stand.

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  • Our kid’s are respectful and well mannered just like their loving parents who raised them,I don’t think I could ever sleep again if I ever had to discipline our children in this way,this is why it was so important to us to make sure we never have to,A good team will always over come the children.

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  • I will continually ask the question until I get the answer with manners
    Eg: if I ask our if he wants a drink of milk he will say “yes”. I keep asking until I get a “yes please mummy”.
    It’s now developing into him asking first go with manners. He’s 3 in September.
    And if he’s given something I’ll prompt him by saying “what do you say?” whilst holding the item he wants until he says “thank you” or “yes please” etc

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  • well done to her, my kids were taught from an early age to use their manners & as such i had fantastic feedback from shop keepers as to how well mannered they were. Whilst i think this was a waste of money she has done what she thinks is right & i agree there is always consequences for one’s actions. One of the biggest problems we face today is lack of respect & people who think they can do whatever they want. Time this changed

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  • Manners are important. And all too often not used….. house rule here is if u ask for something without a please come back in 5 mins and ask again………
    I think after the third time mstr 5 at the time realised he wasnt going to get that biscuit without a please……….

    Im not sure i wouldve taken the ice cream because i myself wouldnt have let my kids leave the counter without a thankyou.

    Reply

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