For Those Of You With Kids...

As you (might) know, obesity is becoming a problem in America (if it isn't already). Fast food is some of the problem... or so I've heard, I've never actually read Fast Food Nation (and isn't there a movie on that too? If there is, I've never seen it either).

Anyhow, lots of people tend to like fast food. While it might be overly greasy and generally unhealthy, it comes to you quick... which is always good when you're in a rush. And it's cheap. Really cheap. The $1 menu. 5 for $5. They even have kiddie-meals and all to appeal to the youngsters, complimentary cheap toy or crappy gadget included. The children can't resist... they want the cheap toy (and the food), and try to convince their parents. And who can resist the charms of the Burger King guy? (Okay, seriously... that guy is creepy. Really creepy.) And parents, who just see the "cutest kid in the world" (let's be honest... not every kid can be the cutest in the world) can't resist the charms that come with the yelling, crying, kicking & screaming (unrelated... Kicking & Screaming is a Will Ferrell movie. Does that mean it should be avoided? I'm not completely anti-Will Ferrell, but some of his movies are utter crap) and take them to the fast food place of the child's choice (that's a mistake on the parents part, but sometimes you just don't have another option).

On the Will Ferrell topic, I much loved Anchorman, Zoolander, Wedding Crashers (though his role was small & annoying). Elf was meh.

Anyhow, back to the topic at hand (which, if you've forgotten, you can re-read the first couple paragraphs and ignore the one starting "On the Will Ferrell topic"), it's obviously not good for your kids. So the preferable approach would be to keep them away from constantly going to fast food places. There are ways to try and stop them. You could just ignore them, but that would be mean. And if your kids kept screaming & all, others might consider you a heartless parent, which you never want. You could try to get them to find broccoli & spinach & the like as more fun, but let's be honest... unless you have a free toy to give them with it, it's probably not working. You could try to get them hooked on TV instead (Sesame Street? Barney? Does Reading Rainbow still exist? How about Bill Nye The Science Guy? Or Magic School Bus?), because TV is obviously a much better option than fast food in the fight to combat obesity. You could try to get them ahead of other children their age by teaching them how to use the internet (again, though... it's not exactly the best way to go). Or, you could go with the much simpler approach. Just a well placed line or 2. Such as the one below...