Wednesday, June 23, 2010

TOYS are TOO TEMPTING??

A group is suing McDonald's because those little toys in the Happy Meals make it just too enticing for the kids and they get FAT! Check this out from the linked article: "At some point parents get worn down," Jacobson says. "They don't always want to be saying no to their children. We feel like an awful lot of parents would be relieved if this one pressure was removed from them."

Maybe we should ban all toys altogether? Parents just can't TAKE the pressure!!
Boy, MINE sure had NO PROBLEM WITH PRESSURE. "NO" was heard, loud and clear...and our answer was "OKAY....darn" (and they had BETTER not hear the 'darn') And, darned if I didn't respect and love both my folks..........and still do. (I'm thinking they should kill the clown, too...he's kind of fun and enticing, isn't he?)

Would your parents have bowed to YOUR 'pressure'? ("but, I HAVE to have a HAPPY MEAL!!") or were yours more like mine. Why has it changed so much and is this giving in to our kids better for society? I sure don't think so.
z

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

My parents were like yours Z, and Mr. Pris and I were too.
Saying no isn't difficult if the children know their parents are in charge and that they aren't.

"Because I said so", sure worked on me, and when I said it to my children, it worked as well.

it's our responsibility to raise responsible people, who don't expect the world owes them anything. They should learn that we earn our way, have respect for their elders, and to be considerate of others.

It seems to me, once you establish your authority, as they grow it's not a constant battle. I believe that if we're fair in our discipline, firm when we have to be, and give permission when it's warranted, children respect us and respond pretty well.

The idea that parents are so weak that they need the world to bend so as to relieve them of their responsibility, is mind boggling to me.

This suit just shows how ridiculous things are. It's a pathetic statement on many of today's parents.

Interestingly, their children are not as secure as those who have strong responsible parents. They don't know what the boundaries are, and are not ready to make decisions they're not equipped to handle.

When we're talking about someone suing to remove a toy from a happy meal so parents don't have to say no, I think we're in even more trouble than I thought.

Pris

FrogBurger said...

My mom kept saying no to me. I couldn't even get "Coca-Cola" at home. The day I left, the first thing I did was to buy Pepsi any time I wanted too and it was a little thing but I appreciated it because that was my money that I earned by working.

It's a sad statement on the current generation of parents that was raised by people who were more interested in being their children's friends than an authority figure setting boundaries, standards and teaching what life is about.

Now wonder those people then adopt a lefty thinking where everything is utopia, personal responsibility is rejected and the gov must spoon feed you.

(((Thought Criminal))) said...

If this goes to trial, it will be because of the law degree some judge got in a box of Cracker Jacks.

Craig and Heather said...

Parenting is not for cowards.


But, in recent years, a lot of people grow up physically while still being emotionally immature. The idea of being rejected by anyone (particularly their own offspring) is too much of a challenge.


My parents didn't have a problem with "no" but I don't remember asking, either.

Of course, we didn't have a lot of extra money, lived 50 miles from McDonald's, and my parents were really into the healthy eating movement.

It is absolutely ridiculous to level a lawsuit at a corporation for offering temptation that parents refuse to be actively training their own children to resist. And it only feeds the victim mentality that *my* personal problems are someone else's fault.

Seems as though no one wants to take responsibility for anything, anymore. :(




I always thought ol' Ronald was a little scary.

Heather

JINGOIST said...

Mine didn't care about the pressure. Either one would give ANY of us kids a good beating if we had it coming!

That's not really what this group is about. They're attacking McD's because they are anti-capitalists and they're control freaks. Sorta along the lines of M.A.D.D. from what I can tell.

Have I ever told you how I feel about busybodies?

Z said...

Pris, I do think we're in FAR more trouble than we think...we're raising a bunch of egomaniacs who always get their way..."Because I said so!" Oh, my GOSH, we DID HAVE THE SAME PARENTS!!!! :-)
you said "I believe that if we're fair in our discipline, firm when we have to be, and give permission when it's warranted, children respect us and respond pretty well." Excellent advice.

FrogBurger; it was a VERY special day indeed (and VERY rare) than we got to have Cola, too!
I think you're correct about the 'friends' thing...My mother felt the same way "They had friends...I was their MOTHER" BIG difference.
Kids miss boundaries...they say they don't want them, but they're longing for them, aren't they...shows their parents CARE enough.

Beamish, you're right...ve3ry fitting!

Heather, Ronald McD IS scary, I agree! We didn't have a McD's near us, either (they didn't exist in LA when I was a kid...if they existed anywhere) but, in general, your parents didn't acquiesce just because you were asking for ANYTHING, did they? YOu've got five kids, right? would YOU bow to pressure?

Jingo, it felt like that to me, too.......it's SO ridiculous it must be something more than what they're saying...anti capitalist, anti profit...perfect thing to sue McD's, right?
M.A.D.D....? You think they're agenda-driven??

Craig and Heather said...

but, in general, your parents didn't acquiesce just because you were asking for ANYTHING, did they? YOu've got five kids, right? would YOU bow to pressure?

LOL! Whining and pestering was an automatic "no" in our home.

Can't claim to never have caved. Some days just catch you off guard. But no, it is not our habit to let the kids make the decisions.


H

FrogBurger said...

Aside from that, I hope you're all in front of the TV to support the US team today. I hope they kick Algeria's butt. Can't wait for it, especially after the poor showing and the lack of class from the Frog Team. Makes me even more proud to be American to see the American spirit at work at the World Cup.

Linda said...

Happy Meals came after my time as a kid, but we still got 'no', and especially if we whined about it.

My kids were too big for 'Happy Meals' by the time McD's came to town.

I'd buy them for the grandson, but he didn't ever get the 'prize' (chintzy as they were) until he ate his dinner.

Give the parents some credit....they know their kids. The gov't needs to stay out of our lives!!!

Anonymous said...

I had absolutely no problem saying 'no'. And I wasn't in the habit of saying it more than once. No candy, soft drinks, chips, junk food, etc. Not only is it useless calories, but a waste of money. The first time they went Trick or Treating at the first house the lady brought out a big bowl of candy & told all the kids to take some. My younger son looked at her & said, 'I can't have candy, it's bad for my teeth'. She nearly fainted! i explained that Hallowe'en was an exception, & the next day I gave it all away.

Silvrlady

Anonymous said...

Back from bidding on eBay. Didn't win. I went to the market some years ago, & because we had a couple of hunters coming for dove season I bought some soft drinks, not knowing what they drank. When I was checking out the woman looked at me & said, 'You don't buy this kind of stuff'. Fast 'food', soft drinks, junk food, & all you can eat buffets are largely responsible for the problem of gross obesity in this country today.

Silvrlady

cube said...

When my parents said no, it meant
no.

When we told our girls no, it meant no. Very simple.

Parents need to take control. You can't have the inmates running the asylum.

Craig and Heather said...

When my son was about 5, I found out he had lectured one of his aunts about the evils of white bread and I started to wonder whether I was doing more harm than good with the way I was going about teaching good nutrition.

It was not my goal to create a little food pharisee who judged everyone else by what was on their plate but it sure looked as though that was where we were headed. I had to back off a little and rethink some things.

Silvrlady has a great point about training the kids to appreciate good, healthful food, but I'd hate for my kids to grow up as health food hypocrites.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLiVeRJTtqo&feature=related

:D

~Leslie said...

Heck no! My parents (though not the best) actually parented. If they said "No" I didn't argue. If I did argue, I would most rightly get *gasp* a spanking.

And imagine that... I still haven't gone on a shooting rampage.

This is another example of the government taking over parenting. I wonder how many parents will fight for their right to McDonalds' Happy Meals. :)

Brooke said...

Happy meals are a rare treat here. So much so, that my kids are delighted when they get one rather than beg for them regularly.

Usually if we do go fast food for time's sake, it's the dollar menu and they know it.

What is the frickin' problem here? I'd be less worried about the obesity and more worried about whether there's any lead in that toy!

Craig and Heather said...

What is the frickin' problem here?

Someone already figured out that McD's serves hot coffee.

H

Karen K said...

This is stupid-- more nanny-statism.

A much better idea would be for parents to avoid feeding their kids McDonald's junk in the first place.

Anonymous said...

I occasionally buy 2 items at McD.s. Ice tea & the occasional fruit/yoghurt pafrait. That's it!
I've also heard McNuggets called 'McNasties'. Sounds good to me.

The money wasted on fast food & junk food is appalling. I look at what is in people's carts at the market & no wonder they are so fat. Parents who allow children to manipulate them will wonder one day why their kids are such obnoxious teenagers.

Silvrlady

MathewK said...

I read about this elsewhere, i hope Ronald sues them right back for this idiocy.

"They don't always want to be saying no to their children."

Don't you just love the grave concern for parents rights. Change the topic to abortion and watch as their yearning for parents rights suddenly evaporate.