McDonald’s is in the firing line again, but it’s for the strangest reason.
Apparently, the current Happy Meal toy is no good, according to the Parents’ Jury, an Australian children’s health advocacy group.
The Parents’ Jury has such a big issue with the toy that they’re asking Australia’s Advertising Standards Bureau to step in and force Macca’s to halt the promotion.
So what is it about this toy that is causing such consternation: Is it a figurine holding a potentially dangerous spiky sword? A plastic toy with sharp edges? Something sporting beads or tiny parts that pose a threat to little ones?
No, it’s none of the above.
It’s a book.
More:How to win the whining wars with kids
The concern, according to Alice Pryor, campaign manager for the Parents’ Jury, is that kids would need to eat an exorbitant amount of Happy Meals within the eight-week promotion period in order to collect all 10 of the titles in the series.
Eating two-dozen McDonald’s meals within two months is “certainly not recommended for healthy eating,” Pryor told the Herald Sun.
“As a parent, it’s a lot harder to say ‘no’ to your child if they are asking for a book than it is when they want a Minions toy,” she added.
You know what? It really isn’t that hard. You just say no!
Are there really any parents who will ramp up their child’s fast-food consumption to 26 meals in eight weeks just to collect some cheap books?
More: This is how hard mums really work
I sincerely doubt it.
But even if a parent did make that choice, isn’t the burden of responsibility on them?
As parents, my husband and I buy McDonald’s (somewhat reluctantly) as a treat for our kids every now and then. They know it’s not healthy, as we always explain that it’s a treat for special occasions. We educate them every day about the difference between healthy foods and treat foods, as we feel it is our responsibility to help them make good choices.
It’s about time the buck stopped with actual parents, rather than trying to regulate every single potential “danger” to our kids.
If finding a book in your kid’s Happy Meal is your biggest problem, then you’re doing pretty well for yourself.
Leave a Comment