Apr 9, 2011

unHappy Meals coming to New York?


New York recently put in a bid to ban Happy Meal and Kids Meal toys from fast food chains.  They claim that the advertising of the toys is the reason children are so unhealthy.  Claims are, that the TV commercials announcing new toys every week, are manipulating children to eat unhealthy.  While I do think that the advertising has a lot to do with our children wanting McDonalds, Burger King, Wendy's, etc... It is the parents decision not to take them, even if our children beg, carry on and scream.  Our children do not run the home and therefore cannot make parents decisions for them.  Even though it's difficult, parents have to say no and put their foot down when it comes down to it. 


Even if they ban Happy Meal toys, would that still prevent parents from going to McDonalds and prevent our children from wanting it?  Absolutely not.  My girls like the cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and fries.  Even though they may be one of a very select few, my girls usually don't even care about the flimsy toys.

There are parents who bring home fast food on certain days because they do not have the time to make an entire dinner due to work or other commitments.  These parents do not go every single day; maybe once a week.  Then, there are parents who are too damn lazy to cook and frequent the fast food joints almost every night.  That's because, well, as I said before: They're just too damn lazy.  If they ban the toys, those parents will still go buy the unhealthy food sans the toys.  This ban is asinine and not preventing obesity!  Happy Meal toys are not the only contributing factors to the growing rate of childhood obesity in our country.

Side note, I do see some children who are obviously obese and very unhealthy.  However, I am sure the government is doing what the media does.  I'm sure they are factoring in the amount of children with genetic disorders leading up to obesity or the children who are maybe a tiny bit overweight.  I do not see too many morbidly obese children. Then again, this is just my opinion.


There are more important things for the government to care about and take care of than McDonalds Happy Meal toys, Planned Parenthood and other things that should not be more important than poverty, homelessness, job loss, uninsured and other issues that are more tragic going on in our country.  Parents should be responsible for their children's eating habits.

What do you think about this?  Do you think the government is going too far and overstepping parent boundaries?