No More Happy Meals: "Lose The Calories or Lose The Toys" Says NY Councilman

A New York City councilman is introducing a bill which would "... limit any meal that comes with a toy to under 500 calories". The hope is that fast food chains will begin offering healthier meal options to their pint sized clientele.

As health conscious as I try to be, I would be remiss if I didn't admit to frequenting a McDonald's or Burger King, every now and then, just because one of my kids was enamored of their latest toy offering. And, I have no doubt that millions of other parents have done the same.

While there should never be an objection to seeing healthier choices offered by such places, to say that "...the child wants the toys. Not that fries and nuggets", borders on idiocy. I mean, if all they wanted were the toys, would we really need to have this conversation? The toy is a nice prize for the little ones, but they are eating the food as well—and they would do so even if the toy wasn't offered. 

 

The problem now, as it always has been, is the parents who overindulge said children with said  unhealthy food choices. There isn't enough education happening inside the home about what's good for the body and what isn't. 

 

These days it's simple to request apple dippers in lieu of french fries, low fat milk or apple juice instead of soda, or to order a plain hamburger or cheeseburger as opposed to the default version—often slathered in ketchup—who needs all that high fructose corn syrup? Kids aren't born with any knowledge of these health dangers so they look to us to make those decisions. 

 

We are responsible for taking them to these establishments, ordering their food, paying for it, and allowing them to eat it. So, if the cycle of obesity amongst children is to stop, it starts with us—not the lawmakers.

That said, removing a toy in order to force fast food makers into making a decision that is ours to begin with, may seem well-intentioned but, in the end, it doesn't really address the problem. The food companies are trying to make a dollar. They're just doing their jobs. 

 

It's time that we, as parents, did the same.

Related articles

• McDonald's on a 50,000-job hiring spree (msnbc.msn.com)
• Overweight councilman wants fast food toy ban (nydailynews.com)
• Fast Food That's Not Fat Food (fyiliving.com)
• Breaking: McDonald's Opening "McFarmers Markets" in 1000 Locations (fooducate.com)

Breast Milk Baby Doll...What?!?

Please explain to me the value in a child having a doll that can "breastfeed". I'm sorry, but the purpose of that kind of doll is lost on me—completely.

The Berjuan Toy Company, located in Spain, has developed a toy called the  "Breast Milk Baby", the purpose of which is to help "...young girls express their love and affection in the most natural way possible, just like mommy!"

Are you kidding me? Is there no end to what a toy company will do to sell merchandise?

Call me old-fashioned, call me short-sighted, or call me a prude, but there is no way I could ever deem this to be an appropriate toy for my daughter.

Young girls these days, it seems, are being brought up in a world where motherhood is glorified. And while I have no problem with the message, I do have a problem with the timing of its delivery—could we please allow our daughters to be little girls before we start teaching them how to be mothers?

The ability to love and nurture another is a lesson that can be learned without props like this one, and it's past time that we, as consumers, start drawing the line on what should and should not be appropriate entertainment for our children.

I, for one, would not encourage the purchase of this item for any girl/woman who is not an expectant mother—I see some value in this item as a teaching tool for expectant/new mothers who want to learn some of the fundamentals of breast-feeding—as, again, I find little value in it.

That said, I am certain there are many who will buy this item without a second thought because it's "just a toy" and, while I can respect that perspective, I feel a need to reiterate the point of the impressionable minds of our young girls.

Don't allow them to grow up too fast. Let them enjoy being babies before they start learning how to care for one.

Just my two.

Related articles

• What Do You Think: Breast Feeding Doll (VIDEO) (trudatblog.com)
• "Little Girls Need to Learn to Breastfeed" According to Berjuan Toys (prweb.com)