Parental Pandora's Box

Mothers and Fathers: Don't do it!!

You may be tired. You may be sick. You may be in a hurry.

But don't do it.

They may ask.

They might beg.

They, and heaven forbid, might whine!

If they're like my youngest, they might dramatically cry. (Fake cry, but aimed at breaking your heart, it can be lethal, especially when accompanied by tears.)

Just don't.

Once you do, it will unleash evil, disease and illness.

For real. Well, perhaps evil is a bit much...but the disease and illness is dead on.

I'm talking about McDonald's.

My girls didn't know about McD's until my oldest was four and my youngest was two.

A good thing I did was at first to just do the chicken mcnuggets or cheeseburger (no happy meal and hence, no fries)...though sometimes I would let them have orange drink (yes, that's what it's called) but no pop. (Even though orange drink is just as bad...) (I have a lot of (...)'s in my blogs...I can't help it, I love them, love.)

Then when on an "I-am-a-really-fun-mom day", I brought up the Happy Meal. This was suicide really, because once they know you will give them instant food to satiate their pathetic hunger and it is accompanied with a toy... well, just watch out!

During this past year or so of headaches my resistance hasn't been strong. Now that I'm back, the trips are much fewer.

And so now I meet the whining, the begging, the fake crying.

The other day Madeline told me that her husband's mom takes him to McDonald's all the time. Then added that he gets to have sugar whenever he wants and can have chocolate milk as much as he wants. Then, on her toy phone, her husband asked for her order and offered to get me anything I wanted. I ordered a yogurt parfait and a water. I was not going to give in to McDonald's tempting snack wrap (which Geoff pronounces, "sna ckrap") or their chocolate dipped cone. Plus...I don't drink pop, so that helps.

So parents: don't do it if you haven't! And if you do (because it's so convenient and they do have some decent items on their list now), just be prepared because you are opening your own personal Pandora's Box. And McD's...well they're everywhere.