Please, mom? No!

I just heard on the news that McDonald's is being sued for targeting ads to children, circumventing the parents and causing the children to whine and beg for McDonalds. And of course, those helpless parents just have to give in since their children are having a fit about wanting that happy meal. What the heck?? When I was a kid, every toy under the sun, every sugary cereal ever invented, every cool theme park in the world advertised on television. If I asked for something I saw on a commercial, my parents used this handy answer, with or without explanation, and I learned over time that it meant exactly what it said. Ready? Here it comes...NO!

In fact, this answer made such an impact on me when I was a child that I used it on my own children. I never once experienced a temper tantrum at the register over something my child wanted that I wouldn't buy, because any temper tantrum was either ignored or the child was immediately isolated without an audience. I never once was "forced" to buy my kids a happy meal or any other junk food item. If I purchased something for my children, it was because I wanted to. For the record, I can count on one hand the number of times that we have eaten at McDonald's since my children were born. Have we eaten at fast food restaurants? Yes. Do we do it regularly? No.

I taught my children from a young age that we eat food that's good for us, and have food that's not good for us as an occasional treat. When my children wanted a hamburger, I made one at home out of the boca burgers I had in my freezer. I prepared food that tasted good and had a variety of fruits and veggies. Now when they eat at fast food restaurants, they can tell the difference both in quality and in how the food makes them feel afterward.

Parents need to be parents and consumer groups etc. need to stop laying the responsibility for raising our children on everyone except the parents. Discipline, responsibility and accountability should be taught to our children by the parents, who should also possess those qualities themselves. Sheesh...what is this world coming to?