As a mother of a 2 year old, I seem to know what is best for my child and take responsibility in everything that he does. From eating to playing. I know that going to McDonalds is not healthy for my child but I also know that things are fine in moderation. I am not going to blame others for my bad parenting decisions. I know that I can control everything that happens with my child. I believe that everything starts in the home. I see it too often in my line of business where the parents are not held accountable for the actions of their children. Proper eating starts in the home with the parents.

Research shows that about 64 percent of overweight parents have overweight children. Could this be because the overweight parents love McDonalds just as much as the children do? It has to start in THE HOME! If the parents are making bad judgment calls in what they are eating it’s a natural consequence that their child will be eating the same things. Something that I am guilty of also is that the child sees the McDonalds commercial and throws a fit because he wants a happy meal. About half of the time parents will give in simply to keep their child happy so they do not have to deal with the act of saying NO. A child can not simply drive to McDonalds, order a happy meal and pay for it. The parents do this for them. McDonalds does not force feed you. Parents do!

Also, let’s look at the options that McDonalds gives your children. Apple dippers instead of fries, milk instead of soda. Parents have the option to make happy meals healthier for their children; they are the ones who choose not to do so. So if we want to put an end to childhood obesity, let’s spend some money and offer educational classes in healthy eating and cooking not get rid of Ronald. He’s not to blame.

Which brings me to another issue, if we can blame Ronald for marking to kids and propose to place a ban on pizza and sodas why are we not doing something to stop marketing candy on holidays like Halloween, Christmas, Valentines Day and Esther? Also, let’s discuss some other companies that market to children that are not healthy for you. For example, Chuck E Cheese, here we go with the propose tax of pizza but we are still letting the rat promote to our children with slogans such as “A kid can be a kid”. Is it ok because they have video games that the kids can play and a salad bar? Guess what Ronald haters, McDonald’s offers salads too! Or how about grocery stores with their genius idea to put the candy bars right by the check out counter. Cereal companies whose marketing to kids is extremely high. Come on, is it really ok for your child to eat cookie crisps in the morning because it has some milk in the bowl. Well when you go to McDonalds opt for the milk instead of the soda. If we can post blame for Ronald making kids fat than I think it’s only fair we post blame every where else also. Lets think for a minute, no one is shoving food down your throat you do it to your selves. Let’s look at the facts; we do live in a nation where lifestyles are very fast paced. It’s easier after soccer practice and dance class to just grab something to go on the way home but there are many other factors that are causing this issue. Exercise, what happened to it? When I was little we used what we called an imagination. We were outside riding bikes and making up games with whatever sticks and rocks we had. Now days its video games. Video games can be blamed for a lot of childhood issues. Too much violence and the fact that these kids sit and do nothing but exercise their thumbs. Make your kids do something, go mow the grass, pull some weeds or just go outside!

Which brings me on another tangent, if we can blame major companies such as McDonalds for childhood obesity, why are we not blaming beer companies for the number of alcohol related deaths that occur by drunk drivers.

It all comes down to one thing, money. Beer companies make a lot of money and are a more socially acceptable. If we are going to blame McDonalds for making kids fat, let’s sue the beer companies or put a tax on beer for killing people probably everyday.

Parents need to be held accountable for the actions of their children. We as parents need to have common sense enough to know that we are the ones contributing to childhood obesity, not corporations and certainly not McDonalds.