Say "I love you" with sprinkles

When I see parents buy their child (age 3 - 8) an extravagant ice cream treat, I have to wonder why. At the ice cream place by home, Establishment X, I usually see a child with a hand-dipped waffle cone (sprinkles, chocolate, chocolate with oreo crumbs etc with sprinkles) with ice cream dripping down the side and half a melted scoop on the kids face. This "snack" comes out to about $4 + tax.


When parents spend $4 for an ice cream cone for their child, what are they really buying?

• homemade ice cream (1 regular scoop) and hand-rolled and dipped waffle cone?
• a piece of the American dream?
• or is it guilt for not hugging he or she enough?
• for dieting during pregnancy to look stylish?
  
• a way to soften the blow? "Jimmy, I'm sorry your father is never coming back."
  

Soo...This is how I've interpreted orders at the pricey homemade ice cream places...

Dipped waffle cone with 1 scoop = "I Love You/I'm Sorry"
Waffle Cone with 1 Scoop = "Happy Birthday" or "I'm sorry the bully kicked your ass"

Cake or Sugar Cone with regular sized scoop = "You're special" and "I'm sorry for killing the gold fish"

Cake or Sugar Cone with kids sized scoop = Stable & Healthy Parenting!