I remember one of the first times taking my son to McDonald's, explicitly thinking that we were going to get some unhealthy food, but, hey kids love McDonald's, and it's just this once.
I got him a burger and fries. He tried them, but was not interested at all. (The milkshake on the other hand...)
I found myself going into dinner time Daddy mode: "You shouldn't waste that food, here, take a few more bites..."
When it hit me...what the Hell was I doing? I was trying to force my kid to like McDonald's. What kind of awful parent was I turning into?
So we got up, took the milkshake with us, and left.
(Since then, I think he has been socialized into liking McDonald's by peer and grandparent influence. But I dispute the contention that liking McDonald's food is a "natural" state.)
I got him a burger and fries. He tried them, but was not interested at all. (The milkshake on the other hand...)
I found myself going into dinner time Daddy mode: "You shouldn't waste that food, here, take a few more bites..."
When it hit me...what the Hell was I doing? I was trying to force my kid to like McDonald's. What kind of awful parent was I turning into?
So we got up, took the milkshake with us, and left.
(Since then, I think he has been socialized into liking McDonald's by peer and grandparent influence. But I dispute the contention that liking McDonald's food is a "natural" state.)