Happy Meal Toys for Adults

Laws banning toys in Happy Meals, what will the government come up with next. Have these people never taken a kid to McDonald's for a Happy Meal? The kid opens the bag, grabs the little car or action figure, rips open the plastic and starts doing that "brrooom" thing across the table, while mom carefully unfolds the burger and fries out on the paper. Then there's this whole half-hour scenario of "Put the toy down and eat, Junior." Of course, Junior finally takes a bite of the burger just to appease mom.

In reading one of Nancy Canfield's Remarks from the Peanut Gallery X, which I was a little disappointed was only rated X for the numbering system, I had to agree with her take on governmental legislation regarding toys in meals. Hogwash! It's not like 3 year-olds and under are rushing down to the local hamburger joint to buy their own meals. I know kids these days are advanced, but come on now.

If obesity is a major problem, and we know that it is, why do we not require physical education in schools anymore? Back in the olden days when I was in school, we were required to take a physical education class pretty much all the way through school. Sure, we still had some chubby kids in the class, but at least they were moving their body parts. Not always a pretty sight, I'll admit, but they were in there jumping and bending just like the rest of us. In fact, I remember this one time playing volleyball when Susie ... well, maybe I better not go into that.

When I was a kid, I loved to read and would spend hours sitting and reading every book I could get my hands on. But my wise mother would allow me to read a while, and then would stick her head in front of my book and say something like, "Go outside for a while. The sunshine will do you good." Of course, that was before sunshine was a bad thing, too. I assume the government will pick up on that one soon.

The point is that my mother knew everything in moderation was better than overindulgence in any one thing. And, you know, she was right because when I went outside, suddenly I was riding my bike, running all over the yard, pushing myself in the swing, and climbing up and down trees. Now, we would say my mother was a very smart woman, but she would just say it's common sense. Apparently, that's something she was born with that a lot of people were spared. She certainly didn't need the government to tell her.

I say if this toy thing in the Happy Meal is such a powerful motivator, let's put something in the adult meals to entice them to be better parents. Let's see, maybe one of those things that counts off the miles when you walk? Perhaps some type of fortune cookie that tells you how many calories and fat content is in the meal you're about to eat? Oh, I know, how about the phone number of the local cardiologist in close proximity to the McDonald's?

Maybe the answer is closer than I thought. I'll contact the fast-food people with a picture of my mother when she has that "because I said so" look on her face to include in the bag with the food. That should be all the motivation anyone needs to think before they bite.