First, let me begin by saying, I saw this article because of a feature at the top of the Washington Post’s website which tracks the most popular search topics on the website and directs people to related articles. In this case, the trending topic was “McDonalds Lawsuit.” Well, that sounded intriguing, so I gave it a look. And, lo and behold, it turns out that it was.
Jennifer LaRue Huget, Post writer, informs us of a lawsuit being filed against our friends at the Golden Arches. Monet Parham, of Sacramento, claims McDonalds is making it difficult to keep her kids eating heathily.
“I am concerned about the health of my children and feel that McDonald’s should be a very limited part of their diet and their childhood experience,” she said. “But as other busy, working moms and dads know, we have to say ‘no’ to our young children so many times, and McDonald’s makes it that so much harder to do. I object to the fact that McDonald’s is getting into my kids’ heads without my permission and actually changing what my kids want to eat.”
The Washington-based Center for Science in Public Interest, a nutrition watchdog group has backed her in the class-action lawsuit.
By the end of the article, even the author can’t contain her disdain:
“Seems to me this is at least as much a parenting issue as it is a matter of deceptive marketing. I have been quite frank about the fact that my own two kids haven’t always, and don’t always, eat as healthfully as they probably should; sometimes I’m surprised and even embarrassed by their food choices. But I can’t recall a single occasion on which either child saw a McDonald’s ad and begged/nagged/bullied me into taking them to Mickey D’s. And if they had, the answer would as likely as not have been “no.” Which is not to say that we never have eaten under the Golden Arches. It’s just that we as parents decided when we would and when we wouldn’t. In our family, the kids aren’t in charge.”
The article is followed by a poll, asking readers to opine and let the Post know how they feel on the issue. As of right now 1191 people have voted, and 79% of people believe in the end it’s the parents’ responsibility to take the children or not take the children to McDonalds, all marketing aside. We’ll see if this holds up in court, but in the court of public opinion, Ms. Parham seems to be coming up short.
