Flea’s got a bee in her bonnet.
Now, I’m all for freedom of choice and what’s right for my family isn’t necessarily right for your family, yadda, yadda, but…
We don’t eat at McDonalds.
I worked there as a sixth-form student and can tell you two things. First, I never earned the fifth star on my 'Welcome to McDonalds' badge (the one for a ‘positive, sunny attitude’) and second, I left at 18 knowing that I would never again eat anything made in a fast food restaurant.
Since I’m the law in our house, this means Flea doesn’t eat at McDonalds. And it’s not just me being mean. Flea doesn’t like fizzy drinks. Flea doesn’t like burgers. Flea doesn’t like ketchup. Flea doesn’t like chicken nuggets. Flea’s menu options at a McDonalds restaurant would be, frankly, rather limited.
But there’s a McDonalds restaurant near our local cinema and now that Flea’s favourite pastime is reading everything she sees, she recognises the name McDonalds, and has realised this is a place where some of her friends eat. And so the campaign began.
Driving past on the way to the cinema one day: “Mummy, do you know that my friend Thomas went to McDonalds? I think you can go when you are five. Hey, wait a minute … I AM five!"
On the way home: “McDonalds sells chicken yuggets. My friend Zara says they are so delicious.”
A few days later: “Mummy, Aunty L says you are mean for not taking me to McDonalds."
In tones of wonder: Do you know they give you a toy with your meal.”
A week or so later: “I know when I will go to McDonalds. When every other shop in the world is closed and we have no food, that is when we will go.” (I may have told Flea this thinking it would shut her up. It appears to have given her hope)
Opting for negotiating techniques: “I know I do not like chicken yuggets Mummy, but if we went to McDonalds and you told me to eat them, I think I would. I’d certainly taste them.”
Using information as a weapon: “At McDonalds they put salt on chips. Salt is very healthy for children, I think.”
Getting a bit desperate: “Mummy, when I am older and I like food that is disgusting, please may we go to McDonalds?”
