I almost didn’t do this video.
I honestly thought it would be too wacky and out of the box for some readers to handle.
My change of heart occurred when one of my children said, “Mom, you HAVE to do that video”.
Out of the mouths of babes.
So here I am posting a video about the best trick I know for teaching your kids about the dangers of fast food and hopefully keeping them far far away from it forever – even once they are out of the house and making their own decisions.
While this trick won’t work for older children, if your kids are still quite young, it should work well.  My three kids want absolutely nothing to do with fast food and that includes my teenager who has more freedom away from his parents and has the opportunity to indulge if he chose to.
So here it is.   What do you think? Too wacky or totally on target?
Mom Versus Fast Food (Mom Wins)
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
Haha! You rock Sarah! Love your informative and funny side. You can also find a parents car who does feed their child this and find a french fry under a seat or some place…..those last FOREVER and still look good enough to eat! YUCK……. Now thats a lesson.
Great idea, but the toys are not even safe due to coming from China! Such a shame though. My kids do not like to eat the garbage either…but on Youth Group trips, there are always fast foods involved. I tell them…this is why we eat healthy, so when times like this come up…you’re ok.
Thanks again.
Love this! Our Walmart has a McDonald’s inside with the display of the toys right at the entrance of the store at just the right height for little eyes. Sometimes I’ll just buy the toy for a buck if the toy is that great (usually not). Our local public library gives out McDonald’s coupons for a free Happy Meal when the kids read a certain number of books in the summer. We were really disappointed about that. My six year old daughter told the librarian, who handed her the coupon, with disgust in her tone, “We don’t go to McDonald’s!”. I wish more people felt this way about fast food. We’ll continue spreading the message that it’s garbage in our community! Thanks.
Why we are fat, it’s not just the calories! Great article. http://www.bu.edu/bostonia/winter-spring12/corkey/
My son (10yrs old on the spectrum) of course was all tuned in and listening the video. He came over and said “don’t throw away the toy, it’s not trash” and “fast food will make kids sick?” So, that will stick with him… Funny how hearing someone else say it has an impact, even if you’ve said it before.
Sarah. That’s a great video. I’ve never thought of doing that. Thank you.
My questions for you:
(1) When you’re traveling with the kids, what do you do? We’re traveling overseas at the moment, there’s not much choice in the airport.
(2) How do you bring your partner on board with this? I’m having a lot of trouble with this. My partner doesn’t really care and he thinks a little bit of junk food won’t hurt the kids. Then arguments starts to happen, etc.
Have you blogged about these issues? I would like to hear your suggestions on (1) healthy meals/snack when traveling the kids & (2) how to bring your partner on board with eating “real-food” and avoiding junk food, etc?
Many thanks.
I never can watch your videos. What viewer shoudl I be using? I have all new computer stuff and I only have trouble with this site?
I agree with Kevin. You are way overestimating your influence. Sure you may be able to scare/trick/delude them into compliance up to about age 12. But once they start thinking for themselves they will naturally and inevitably rebel/experiment. Probably they will go and have twice the amount of fast food/drugs/sex just to see if mommy is right. And then if they dont suffer bad effects (after all fast food does not KILL EVERYBODY lol), then you will have lost credibility and you will have sown the seeds of mistrust which will affect your relationship for the rest of your life. They will not believe you any more.
Why not just be honest and tolerate that they have their own personal opinions and desires, which might be different or even opposite to yours? You sound like a Nazi-mom lol. When they are young, doesn’t matter what the advertisiing giants are telling them, you are making the purchasing decision and just dont buy them the stuff, or buy it for yourself. You can control your kids purchasing power.. Main thing is teach them by example, dont eat it or buy it yourself, explain why you dont eat it, give them the facts. This strategy cannot backfire.
Must be nice to know everything and be able to read the future for people you never even met!
This is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. If you think that this “lesson” affected your kids’ attitudes, you’re kidding yourself. I don’t believe that your kids are 100% free of fast food, but even if they are, it’s because you’re a fanatic who they are afraid to challenge. I know as well as you that fast food is crap, and I discourage my kids from eating it. But making something forbidden is not the answer —- it just results in them sneaking around to get it when you’re not looking.
Brilliant! Great video with a simple, powerful message.