While I may be getting on in years, I am not so old that I cannot remember my childhood. And one of the things that I recall with absolute clarity are the adverts for things that I could never have. It didn’t stop me asking, though. And the result was always the same; “no”. And “no,” meant “no” as in negative, you are not having it and my word is final. And when my parents meant final, final was what you got. Usually this was because my parents couldn’t afford it. On more than one occasion it was because they believed that what I wanted was a waste of money so they wouldn’t buy it anyway, which was why I never got that Battling Tops game I so wanted. I’m scarred for life, I tell you, scarred.
I grew up understanding the meaning of “no”. In later years I came to realise that they were right.
These days parents seem to have lost the ability to say “no” for themselves and need the state to step in and do it for them.
Many parents would like to see a ban on the advertising of unhealthy foods and sugary snacks before the 2100 watershed, a survey suggests.
As is usual, with any surveys reported on the BBC, look for the key words and my, there it is again; “suggests”. Not says, not clear unambiguous evidence tells us, but “suggests”.
The survey, commissioned by the Children’s Food Trust, found many parents felt pestered to buy poor food.
And what’s the betting that the Children’s Food Trust is another interfering fake charity? Either way, parents always have the option of regulating their children’s viewing habits or utilising that very effective word that the English language so helpfully provides for such situations; “no”. Say it often enough and the message gets across.
The poll suggests 40% of parents think children’s ability to pester them for junk food makes it harder for them to buy healthy foods.
Oh, do fuck off already. Who goes out and earns the family income? Parents or children? Who goes to the shops and buys the provisions? Parents or children? What are these people, men or mice?
Almost half (45%) admitted that they let their children influence them when buying food for the family.
Then they are fools who could learn a thing or two about parenting from a couple of generations back.
“This isn’t about a ‘nanny state’ – it’s about what will help rather than hinder parents in feeding their children well.”
Y’know when some authoritarian twat – in this case Rob Rees of the aforementioned fake charity – says “this isn’t about a nanny state” you know precisely that that is exactly what it is.
Children’s diets are a matter for parents, not the state. And as for advertising, the sooner parents realise that saying “no” is in their own hands, the better for everyone. And children will benefit from the occasional refusal to comply with their wishes. Call it a preparation for the adult world if you like.
My preference for dealing with intrusive advertising is time shifting. That way I don’t see the ads in the first place. Works like a charm.
Shutting off the TV generally works for me. Most of it is the most unutterable crap. As for ‘pester power’, I used to exclude the kids when visiting the supermarket and have convenient lapses of shopping list.
Part of the problem is that many of today’s parents, far from being able to say ‘no’ to their children, seem to find it hard to deny themselves unnecessary luxuries.
L’Oreal’s ‘Because I’m worth it’ slogan, launched 40 years ago, has become the identifying marker for a generation; if you start equating material purchasing with the way you value yourself – and your family – then saying ‘no’ takes on far greater significance.
Well, I think I’m worth that new BMW K1300GT, but I can’t afford it, so I have to say “no” to myself…
None of my children have ever seen an advert.
“And what’s the betting that the Children’s Food Trust is another interfering fake charity?”
Yep, a quick look through their financial statement reveals we’re funding this “charity” to the tune of millions of pounds a year. (£3.5m + £800,000 “grant” this year, last year £6m, and they’re also getting money from the lottery and a few other sources).
I have often shown this, and sites like Leg Irons, and similar that cover similar news articles, to a couple of collegues of mine. His comments; “I wish WE had thought of that!”, “We could never have got away with that!”
The collegues?
Ex Stassi Leutenant Colonel. (Ministerium für Staatssicherheit (Formerly known as “Gestapo”, In fact, THAT is where he started his carreer at the age of 17 years)), and an ex department head of the DDR “Information service”, I.e “Propoganda ministry”.
With references like that, what more does Britain need to become full member of the worlds “Great dictator club”?
BOLLOX! That last was in reply to c777. It is not always clear, before coffee, which “reply” button belongs to which post. 😳
It is below, not above. Yeah, I really need to improve this theme, but it’s a lot of work, so I need to feel motivated.
Strange we become more like a former communist state every day.
Burgeoning politburo departments ,commissars for this commissars for that.
The parallels are becoming all too evident.
“Almost half (45%)”, At least I can take comfort that 55% of parents say no. Glass half full, and all that.
absolutely bizarre, “they” have been harping on about banning adverts for this, that and the other during kids’ programmes, bloody hell, what’s the harm, it’s the advertisers who pay for television in the first place, if you ban the adverts, that’s the end of television. Plus I like going to McDonalds or Burger King with the kids every week or two, it’s nice.
“Who goes out and earns the family income?”
Yep. Kids have no money. It’s like the stories about people who get so fat they can’t leave the bed. So who’se shipping in food by the container load for them?
I’ve looked it up, the Children’s Food Trust is an offshoot of the School Food Trust, which is an unabashed quango. But the CFT might well turn out to be a food industry lobby group.
My daughter is 5 and she watches kids TV. Junk food adverts are already banned from kids tv so maybe, just maybe, it’s a question of what people are letting their children watch rather than what they are buying at the supermarket that is the problem.
True, she does occasionally pester to go to McDonalds, but that is not advertising, it’s the fact that she goes there occasionally as a very special treat and associates it as such. Plus, unless it is one of these occasions a firm ‘NO’ usually does the trick. Because it really is that easy…
I managed to pick up an old Battling Tops game at a car boot sale for a couple of quid a few years back. Jolly good fun it was too!
Now I have a 6 month old son, I think I’ll start working on that scalectrix that I could never have. From the car boot sale of course!
I was given a choice between a Scalectrix or a model railway. I chose the latter.
Don’t know if it was a bad batch, or what. But no one I knew, or myself, could ever get their bloody Scalectrix to work for longer than half a lap.
Surgical spirit and plenty of elbow grease on the track joints Furor.
I shall be searching for older cars though, as they seemed to get a bit longer in the 80’s. This meant that it was not possible to get the tail end to hang out so much around the bends, as the cars would just fall off the edge of the track.
XX Surgical spirit and plenty of elbow grease on the track joints Furor. XX
Bit late now. That was over 35 years ago…!? 😐
Plus, you get something new from the factory, you do not expect to have to give it a 24 month service, on Christmas morning. 🙄
Later I got Carrera, and never had a single problem.