Park Slope Parents Want City To Freeze Out Ice Cream Trucks.

[KeystoneRegional]

News 12 Brooklyn - "(04/03/12) BROOKLYN - A group of parents in Park Slope is calling on the city to ban most ice cream trucks from selling their sugary, cold fare within Prospect Park.

Organizers of the 7,000-member group Park Slope Parents say the constant flow of ice cream trucks announced by their iconic music has proven too tempting for their kids.

Not everyone, however, is on board with the proposed ban. Some local residents say it's a silly cause, and parents just need to learn how to say 'No' to their kids.

Parents who support the ban say although they want to ban all ice cream vendors from selling within the borders of the playground, they would consider allowing socially conscious and organic ice cream trucks to sell within the park."

 

Source Link: http://www.news12.co...&news_type=news

[lilbluefoxie]

Try to find the article on something besides news12, not everyone has cablevision.

[KeystoneRegional]

Comcast, Time Warner and Service Electric Customers also can get it, but I'll try to find an alternate.

[CenSin]

parents just need to learn how to say 'No' to their kids.

The simplest and best solution is not banning stuff. In this case, the end result would be healthier kids, better parents, and some semblance of discipline.

[KeystoneRegional]

Available to Phone Service and Satellite Customers:

 

Curbed NY - "Not an April Fools joke! Just as the Park Slope Food Co-op drama is over, another fussy scandal emerges deep from within Brownstone Brooklyn. The Post is reporting that some, er, concerned Slope parents are out to get the ice cream trucks and carts out of Prospect Park. Apparently the kids just go completely batshit crazy at the sight of them and as one mom, Dorothy Scanlan, astutely pointed out "I should not have to fight with my children every warm day on the playground just so someone can make a living!” And it keeps going, “I too was at the 9th Street Playground on Monday, and one of the vendors just handed my 4-year-old an ice cream cone. I was furious.” She's not alone in her struggle, another mom recalls the harrowing tale of a day in the park violently snatched away by the siren song of the cone hustlers.

 

She says, "Along with the first truly beautiful day of the year, my son and I had our first ruined day at the playground,” the poster named Sarah somberly recounted. “Two different people came into the actual playground with ice cream/Italian ice push carts. I was able to avoid it for a little while but eventually I left with a crying 4-year-old.” We'll finish by saying what you're thinking. Are you effin' kidding? Then again, this isn't the first time."

 

Source Link: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2012/04/01/some_park_slope_parents_looking_to_ban_ice_cream_vendors_in_prospect_park_seriously.php

[KeystoneRegional]

The simplest and best solution is not banning stuff. In this case, the end result would be healthier kids, better parents, and some semblance of discipline.

 

 

I support that stance too, we should be in control and make the right decisions for our kids not the law!

[QM1to6Ave]

Dumbass parents

[Shortline Bus]

Try to find the article on something besides news12, not everyone has cablevision.

 

 

Not to mention Foxie, if you not a cablevision/newsday customer (both owned by the Dolan family) I think you get a couple of views of articles for free and then you have to pay. So Keystone in future please try to link the main part of the article for us who are not cablevision customers?

 

Back to topic. Another example of the political correct police IMO trying to ruin 'fun' for ice cream trucks that been around NYC for at least 50-60 years.(maybe more) It's good that the parents are concerned about their kids diet and it's their choice if they (parents) don't want to buy products from the ice cream trucks. With that said, why put men and woman livelyhood out of business. Eating Mickey D's is much more of a long term health threat than eating an occasional ice cream cone. What happened to compromise these days in our society?

[NX Express]

What happened to parenting these days?

[Grand Concourse]

I support that stance too, we should be in control and make the right decisions for our kids not the law!

Agreed, parents these days expects the government to implement nanny state laws because they can't be bothered to teach their own kids... Not looking good for our future...

[MHV9218]

Park Slope Parents... need to shut up and live a little.

 

I swear to god, every story I see about them is literally ridiculous. If parents are so lousy at their job that they give their spoiled brat ice cream whenever s/he wants, that's their problem.

[CDTA]

[553 Bridgeton]

Can the news get anymore depressing?

[Roadcruiser1]

So there are people trying to do their job and make money for a living and then these Mom's have the attitude to say no to ice cream vans. Like what I often say...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35TbGjt-weA

[Via Garibaldi 8]

It seems as if the parents know how to parent. What they're asking for is either healthier options in the park OR if the vendors want to sell ice cream, that it is not full of preservatives and other stuff. Seems pretty reasonable to me. After all they do have a right to say what they want in their community. Those of you who are up in arms about this, this is not necessarily new. There was a program several weeks ago on MSNBC where they showed parents around the country who for example are banning together to have the menus changed in schools so that sugary drinks and processed foods and junk food are out, and organic, or natual, healthier options are in.

 

Meanwhile, some parents on Staten Island are welcoming the ice cream trucks and Staten Island has the HIGHEST OBESITY RATES out of all of the five boroughs. That's not just by chance. I mentioned this before in another thread... People who have more disposable income and are highly educated generally will spend more in food and will demand natural or organic products. These parents more than likely meet this criteria.

 

On Staten Island folks have disposable income too, but there are more folks with a different mentality when it comes to eating and their health. What it comes down to is choices. I don't necessarily think that they need to ban the trucks, but their stance is mainly out of wanting the best food options for their kids. It has nothing to do with trying to create a nanny state. Quite frankly what they should do is go to other vendors who sell natural and organic products and ask them to set up shop, but the problem could be that the current vendors are already there, so of course that could create some conflict (i.e. permit issues perhaps, etc), so maybe that is why they are asking that city ban the current ice creams trucks from selling their ice cream.

 

I'll end by saying this though... I don't support a nanny state, but clearly the obesity rates amongst children in this country is out of control and something needs to be done about it. You can argue that parents need to parent, but parents will not be around 24/7 so if they send their kids to the park to play and it is difficult to get the junk food and such that kids crave then they won't bother looking for it.

 

The real issue here is why are these vendors pushing this garbage to begin with? If the parents want healthier options, give them what they want then. It is not a crime to eat healthy and in fact if folks learned about portion control and eating in moderation, we wouldn't have this diabetes and obesity crisis right now here in the US. Kids waking up and drinking soda and having potato chips for breakfast. If you call that living, then some of you clearly are out of touch with reality. Don't worry though, you're paying for them living through higher taxes to pay for the skyrocketing healthcare costs in this country to deal with these high rates of obesity and diabetes.

[checkmatechamp13]

If they don't want the ice cream trucks in their neighborhood, simple. Don't buy the kids ice cream. If the ice cream trucks can't make money, they'll leave.

 

In the meantime, just tell the kids no. If it's spring/summer and you know the ice cream trucks are out, buy a pack of ice cream and bring it with you when you pick them up from school or whatever.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

If they don't want the ice cream trucks in their neighborhood, simple. Don't buy the kids ice cream. If the ice cream trucks can't make money, they'll leave.

 

In the meantime, just tell the kids no. If it's spring/summer and you know the ice cream trucks are out, buy a pack of ice cream and bring it with you when you pick them up from school or whatever.

 

 

This is true, but I think they just want different options. The article does say that they would consider having ice cream trucks that sold organic ice cream, so they're not saying that they don't any trucks at all necessarily.

[B35 via Church]

I agree with the local residents that say it's a silly cause.....

 

Teaching your kids not to succumb to temptation will go just as far as not having them eat too much (or any) of the stuff in the first place.....

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I agree with the local residents that say it's a silly cause.....

 

Teaching your kids not to succumb to temptation will go just as far as not having them eat too much (or any) of the stuff in the first place.....

 

 

I think the issue goes further than this though. Look at the neighborhoods that don't have very few healthy food options. In that case it isn't so much about temptation as it is about convenience. If you have to go out of your way to have healthy food options in many cases you may not bother and it may have to do with temptation as much as it is the hassle and cost to get the better options. This is exactly the type of things that plague poorer neighborhoods and this is also what these parents are screaming about. At least that's my feeling about it, since I've worked on translation projects that studied these sorts of issues in the city. The difference here is that areas like Park Slope have money so they can yell and scream about these sorts of things.

[CDTA]

This is true, but I think they just want different options. The article does say that they would consider having ice cream trucks that sold organic ice cream, so they're not saying that they don't any trucks at all necessarily.

 

I don't really see organic ice cream making money. Having said that, it will probably be only on a few trucks. After all, not all neighborhoods in the city have disposable income.

[B35 via Church]

I think the issue goes further than this though. Look at the neighborhoods that don't have very few healthy food options. In that case it isn't so much about temptation as it is about convenience. If you have to go out of your way to have healthy food options in many cases you may not bother and it may have to do with temptation as much as it is the hassle and cost to get the better options. This is exactly the type of things that plague poorer neighborhoods. The difference here is that areas like Park Slope have money so they can yell and scream about these sorts of things.

Park Slope is a neighborhood that has healthier food options than most other neighborhoods though....

 

If it's anyone that should be complaining (more) about ice cream trucks roaming through their neighborhoods, it's the poorer ones.....The residents of this community having money just means their complaint will reach headlines faster....

 

 

I don't really see organic ice cream making money.

Neither do I.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

I don't really see organic ice cream making money. Having said that, it will probably be only on a few trucks. After all, not all neighborhoods in the city have disposable income.

 

 

Neither do I.

 

 

And I'm sure they would be happy with that because they probably know that there aren't that many around to begin with and those that are are small. It is no secret that the profit margins are slim for organic companies because of the high costs associated with the food preparation (i.e. more labor involved, etc.), but that's probably exactly what they want. A small neighborhood sort of truck that provides healthy options/alternatives. The reality is that that's how most organic companies are anyway... They're small, usually family run companies, but they don't produce stuff in mass quantities which usually means better quality.

 

Park Slope is a neighborhood that has healthier food options than most other neighborhoods though....

 

 

If it's anyone that should be complaining (more) about ice cream trucks roaming through their neighborhoods, it's the poorer ones.....The residents of this community having money just means their complaint will reach headlines faster....

 

You make good points, but the reason why areas like Park Slope have more healthy food options is because they are vocal and aren't afraid to speak out, even if folks disagree with them and I actually applaud them for going against the grain so to speak. When I first heard about this story a few days ago I thought it was a big to do about nothing too, but then I sat down and thought about it and it makes perfect sense. People aren't aware of how bad the obesity problem is in this country, especially amongst children, regardless to what neighborhood they're from, though the more affluent areas have less of a problem, but still a problem nevertheless, but the rates at which obesity and diabetes are growing just amongst children alone is staggering, let alone amongst adults and so you have parents that are aware of this and feel that more tougher measures should be taken. As I said before parents will not be around their kids 24/7 and that's just the way things are. Same thing with the parents that are demanding healthier menus in schools and pooling together monies to have healthier natural and organic food options for the kids at school.

 

----

[GENERAL COMMENT] It's a bit sad that we think companies like McDonald's are great for the community, but turn our nose up at small family run companies providing much healthier options for communities around the country. And no I'm not talking about anyone in particular, but this is the general mindset amongst folks in this country. It's not that the ice cream trucks are the enemies here. The issue is that we've lost control over moderation and portion sizes in this country and when to eat what when IN addition to the saturation of non-healthy options like these ice cream trucks. You bring the two things together and you have what we have today... A real disaster health wise and as time goes on, if the situation doesn't improve in this country regarding health and obesity, the government will be forced to act, because we as taxpayers will be saddled with higher and higher taxes to support the health problems associated with obesity. That's one reason why second hand smoke was attacked.

[Grand Concourse]

Organic? Ha, good luck getting ppl to 'buy' into that. But as for the current ice cream sold as not being healthy, it's been the same for years now, the only problem is parents not teaching their kids (and themselves) to eat less of that junk food. Parents are too busy trying to be their kid's best friend than being a parent. To me, that's the problem, not the food.

 

That doesn't mean they can't sell healthier food, but parents need to do their part to teach kids not to be so tempted. America has become an entitlement society and it's just sickening.

[checkmatechamp13]

This is true, but I think they just want different options. The article does say that they would consider having ice cream trucks that sold organic ice cream, so they're not saying that they don't any trucks at all necessarily.

 

 

The thing is that it's not necessarily a matter of that. It's not good to spoil your children. They have to know the difference between wants and needs (you could live without ice cream), even if they have money. I work with little kids (kindergardeners & 1st graders), and you occasionally see kids (usually the kindergardeners) shouting and crying because they don't want to do the reading. If the parent gives in to the kids demanding ice cream, what's to say they won't give in when the kid doesn't want to do their homework. I mean, they're supposed to teach them those types of things in school, but it's always better if the parent reinforces it.

 

I'm sure I've been denied little things like ice cream or toys, and it wasn't because of money issues (I mean, a $1.50 ice cream cone once in a while isn't going to break the bank). But maybe if I didn't, I'd be obsessed with new sneakers and gadgets and things like that (and buying $300 sneakers is a lot more expensive than spending a few dollars on ice cream). I probably got over being denied a few ice cream cones fairly quickly (I mean, I don't even remember any instances, so I probably forgot quickly. Remember that little kids have short attention spans).

 

I mean, yeah organic ice cream might be better, and yeah, money probably isn't an issue, but it's still not good to have your kids grow up like that. I don't know any other way to put it.

 

As far as obesity goes, I don't think that's the primary issue in that community (now that I think about it, I don't know what is the issue. Maybe it prevents the kids from having self-control, but that's something that you have to teach them). I mean, a few ice cream cones isn't going to make them obese, especially if the parents are the type to buy a whole bunch of organic food.

[Via Garibaldi 8]

Organic? Ha, good luck getting ppl to 'buy' into that. But as for the current ice cream sold as not being healthy, it's been the same for years now, the only problem is parents not teaching their kids (and themselves) to eat less of that junk food. Parents are too busy trying to be their kid's best friend than being a parent. To me, that's the problem, not the food.

 

That doesn't mean they can't sell healthier food, but parents need to do their part to teach kids not to be so tempted. America has become an entitlement society and it's just sickening.

 

 

You laugh but "organic" and "natural" is the latest and greatest thing that is being marketed to folks out there with disposable income who want to think that they're eating healthy. Some folks are really educated about the issue. The one thing that I see in Whole Foods a lot is people asking questions about the ingredients in foods and examining the ingredients to see what is in what they are considering buying. I do the same thing, and of course I do my own research about the companies that I buy from to see what sort of practices they have and so on. This is a GOOD thing. You don't have to necessarily believe in natural or organic, BUT folks most certainly should be looking at what they are eating and have a clue what their hamburger has it or their ice cream and son on. I have the philosophy of buying organic when it is available, otherwise I try to at least buy natural products and stay away from processed stuff, but also limit my intake of junk food, because just because something is natural or organic doesn't mean it is good for you. Ice cream is a perfect example. In moderation, naturally, organic ice cream would be better for you in most cases than the processed ice cream, just because our bodies are made to eat natural food, not stuff full of chemicals, but depending on how an item is prepared, an organic product can be just as bad as a processed one. All depends on the ingredients and preparation.

 

 

The thing is that it's not necessarily a matter of that. It's not good to spoil your children. They have to know the difference between wants and needs (you could live without ice cream), even if they have money. I work with little kids (kindergardeners & 1st graders), and you occasionally see kids (usually the kindergardeners) shouting and crying because they don't want to do the reading. If the parent gives in to the kids demanding ice cream, what's to say they won't give in when the kid doesn't want to do their homework. I mean, they're supposed to teach them those types of things in school, but it's always better if the parent reinforces it.

 

I'm sure I've been denied little things like ice cream or toys, and it wasn't because of money issues (I mean, a $1.50 ice cream cone once in a while isn't going to break the bank). But maybe if I didn't, I'd be obsessed with new sneakers and gadgets and things like that (and buying $300 sneakers is a lot more expensive than spending a few dollars on ice cream). I probably got over being denied a few ice cream cones fairly quickly (I mean, I don't even remember any instances, so I probably forgot quickly. Remember that little kids have short attention spans).

 

I mean, yeah organic ice cream might be better, and yeah, money probably isn't an issue, but it's still not good to have your kids grow up like that. I don't know any other way to put it.

 

As far as obesity goes, I don't think that's the primary issue in that community (now that I think about it, I don't know what is the issue. Maybe it prevents the kids from having self-control, but that's something that you have to teach them). I mean, a few ice cream cones isn't going to make them obese, especially if the parents are the type to buy a whole bunch of organic food.

 

 

This isn't rocket science though. The parents want the processed stuff out and would prefer healthier natural or organic options. They are open to organic ice cream trucks, but quite frankly I doubt they want the park with just those around too, because as I said before just because something is organic doesn't mean it's healthy. I am friends with an Italian chick and she is pretty much the same with her kids.