Team McDonalds

A San Francisco Mom is driving down the road at mealtime and thinks to herself, "Oh no. We're going to pass by a McDonald's. My kids are going to ask for a Happy Meal so they can get a crappy little plastic toy. What am I going to do??!" As if on cue, little voices from the back of the mom-van pipe up in unison, "Mooooom. We're hungry!! We want McDonalds! Get us McDonalds Happy Meals!" Well, what's a Mom to do? She has no choice but to swing into the drive through and order up $20 worth of fast food and plastic toys.

What's that you say? She has a choice? Well, she could say, "No" to her children. Is there anything else she could do? She could say nothing and keep driving past the McDonalds. She could tell her kids to pipe down; they'll get a PBJ when they get home,a nd if they don't stop complaining, they'll get (gasp) nothing at all. She could even take the time to instruct her children that some food is good for you and some food is bad for you. McDonalds is in the "bad for you" category, so we don't eat there very often. "What?" you ask? Say "NO" to your kids? Teach them something about making good choices?? What do you think they are- a, a, a parent or something?

No, let's not venture down that path of doing the responsible thing; instead, let's get the government involved! Yes, they aren't involved in our lives enough, so we need to make sure they outlaw a restaurant from selling toys with an unhealthy meal. That would be the best course of action don't you think? I can't think of anything else that would take care of the childhood obesity problem besides demanding that a restaurant offer my child sliced apples with their greasy cheeseburger and side order of oil-drenched fries. Don't even think of asking these parents to limit their TV and video game time. These kids are in school sitting in their seats all day long. They need some down time in front of the tube instead of running around in the backyard. And you can't actually expect these parents to cook healthy meals for their families. They're busy with......whatever is more important than taking care of their families. Don't you see that the logical thing to do is to get the government involved to do the job that parents are unwilling to do?

Next thing you know they'll make it a requirement for grocery stores to offer carrot sticks in the check out lines next to the candy and gum. Wouldn't want a parent to have to stand there and say NO to their child, would we??

I, personally, am on Team McDonalds. I hope they get this ridiculous ban overturned and thrown out on it's ear. I believe it's time parents stop blaming everyone else for their own failings and own up to the fact that they've only shown up part-time to a full-time career. Stop blaming McDonalds for your fat kids and start doing what it takes to lead healthier lives.

Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.

~ Proverbs 22:6