The city of San Francisco is currently debating the issue of McDonald’s Happy Meal Toys and how it encourages kids to eat the unhealthy food. They would like to ban all toys from Happy Meals to keep kids from desiring the unhealthy food. I’m sorry hippies, this is just one thing you’ve gone completely off the deep end on.
Stop blaming McDonalds for marketing to their demographic. Why don’t you as a parent simply say “No” and not buy them the Happy Meal? Why does the government need to step in and raise your children and set their eating habits for you. That is your responsibility as a parent. Stop caving in when they ask for one then. If they ban the toys in Happy Meals what’s next? Good-bye cereal prizes? Good-bye Cracker Jacks’ prizes? They have candy in Toys ‘R’ Us stores as well; do we need to take the toys out of there so kids don’t eat the candy? You can’t stop companies from putting out a product simply because you don’t have what it takes to tell your kids that they can’t have something.
I completely agree that the “food” contained in a Happy Meal is no where near healthy and that kids should not be eating. That food doesn’t decompose and God only knows what it does in the long run. But the toy in the Happy Meal is not what’s enabling the kids to eat the food.
Anyone over the age of 10 isn’t getting a Happy Meal for the toy anyways. Happy Meals are geared towards the age group that don’t have choice in what they really get. At that age kids are not out in the city by themselves trying to decide what they should be eating. At that age you know pretty much everything that goes into their mouths and where it came from. Banning the toy doesn’t suddenly make you a disciplinarian and their diet better.
Stop negotiating with your kids and just tell them “No.” When they ask for McDonalds because the toy is enticing, just keep driving! Yes they may throw a fuss and be angry with you for a while but such is life. How about instead of wasting tax payer dollars on banning toys from a children’s meals you use that money on real issues, not helping lazy parents with their child’s eating habits.
