Parents, Not Ronald McDonald, Responsible For Obese Children

I have never witnessed a car driven by a five-year-old, and loaded up with fellow youngsters pull into a McDonalds and order a boatload of greasy burgers, chicken nuggets, and sugar-laced soda.  Never have I seen a youngster pull a wallet from his jeans and pay for the high-calories found in junk food at McDonalds.  In every case of a young person eating crappy food at a fast food restaurant there is a parent two steps away being more than an accomplice, but actually spear-heading the effort.

Yet we are to believe that Ronald McDonald is the culprit in the world of fast food.  It is as if this clown is forcing calories and sugar down the throats of the nation’s youth.

Baloney!

Parents have to take responsibility for their actions when it comes to the dietary needs of their children.  Too often that does not take place.

When grocery shopping I take note of what fresh vegetables and fruits land in shopping carts of my fellow shoppers, as opposed to pre-made, industrialized products.   It is amazing to watch, and more so when a kid is helping mom or dad shop.  Kids need to be taught about the benefits of healthy eating habits.  But as the national statistics prove, that is not the case.  In many cases it seems the parents are as clueless about healthy eating as the kids are.  It truly is sometimes a case of the blind leading the blind.  That is sad to see.

Now I am not trying to say there is no tug and pull that youngsters feel from watching commercials on television.  I also am aware that advertising works.  I also am not saying that fast food can never be enjoyed.  Everything in moderation works out fine.  The problem is when only the worst foods are consumed by children day in, and day out.  When that happens I think it is a form of child abuse.

At the end of the day parents are still in control of the household budget, meal time, and making sure that children get the food they need, not just what they think they want.

As such leave Ronald McDonald alone and concentrate on where the tire meets the road.

At home, around the dinner table, where homemade food and good conversation makes kids understand all the dynamics that come into play when sitting down for a meal.