Would I have been unreasonable to buy two kids an ice cream and leave two out?

[sandyballs]

Been away for a few days with friends and our four kids, two each. Packing up today the kids wanted one last swim in the pool and they weren't allowed without an adult. So I offered to take them whilst other three adults packed up the car.

They had a good hour in there and I gave them a ten minute warning to get out and changed and go back to help the others. Ten minutes passed and two refused to get out the pool, one of mine, one of friends. Pretending not to hear me, shaking their heads when they did hear, getting out and jumping back in. Shouting no (friends kid). Took me ages and gave me the right hump, I was so tempted to treat the two well behaved ones to an ice cream to prove a point to the other two but know my friend wouldn't like it all and her kid would have had a meltdown seeing his sister with an ice cream,

Am I a pre menstrual ragey spoil sport?

Can I ask... why do people think it's necessary to provide the children with the information of a benefit (ice cream) for following a request that they had been given a really fair time frame for. I don't understand why they have to be aware that there a benefit for following adult instruction. It's not every time you can 'bribe' a kid to do something so why shouldn't they learn that if they don't follow requests, sometimes they'll miss out. And if they behave well they may sometimes get an unexpected treat.

I think I would have rewarded the good kids with icecream and told the other two they will have to earn theirs through good behaviour next week

I would of brought 3 like the other lady said..

Giving a warning does just put on good behaviour for the item not because they know to be good... Random rewards seem much better

Yep, I'd have said 'right out now and we can all get an ice cream on the way back' The ones that don't comply don't get ice cream , simple.

Very important point ... no backing down no matter how much screaming / crying / sulking / pleading ensues or you'll just undermine yourself. Next time they'll do what they're told first time.