America's kids are fat. NYC's Mayor Michael Bloomberg thinks he knows the reason. Kids consuming too much soda. Bloomberg banned all sodas and other sugared drinks bigger than 16oz from being sold at restaurants, cafeterias, and movies, and fast food places.
I was stunned. Thoughts of the Prohibition era, raced through my mind. Instead of alcohol, police would be checking for 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke, hidden under jackets, jammed into mega purses or covered by blankets and hidden in a stroller.
Yes, I am exaggerating, but to me having the luxury to drink a soda when and where I want is part of the American Dream...for life, liberty, and the freedom to have as much soda as I want.
My love/addiction for this mixture of chemicals and water will probably have my body preserved for 30 years after my death. In fact before I got married my husband promised that no matter what happened to us financially, I would always have Diet Coke to drink. Scary huh?
At this point though, Bloomberg isn't focusing on diet drinks. Bloomberg is more concerned with diet soda's tastier, sugary, syrupy sister, regular soda sold in containers that hold more than16oz.
Raising 3 children I constantly told them the bad side effects of drinking soda;(caffeine, cost of sodas) as I popped the tab on a Diet Coke can, and began drinking. This of course did nothing but make my children want to drink soda more.
My kids were at least six years old before they were allowed to have a couple sips of soda in my house. Sodas were reserved for birthday parties, eating out, and Grandma's house. (There was no way I was going to pass up a weekend get away with my husband over the kids consuming a couple of cans of soda.) Even now, at age 17, 12, and 11, I know my kids generally consume two cans of diet soda a week.
Can those extra ounces of regular soda be the key to America's rising childhood obesity? I doubt it!
This government ban is stepping into a place it doesn't belong. How do they plan on enforcing this ban? Tasting every child's 16 oz cup to make sure it is a diet drink? Would a police officer stand guard over the free refill soda fountain at Chucky Cheese? Is the government willing to give me the extra money it takes to buy three smaller sodas instead of just buying one large drink at the movies?
There are so many other options that make sense than banning 16 oz sodas. Bring back recess, or gym every day during the school year, Talk more about healthy eating during school hours.
The real culprit to childhood obesity is the countless hours kids spend watching television and playing video games. My kids recently got banned for one night from t.v., video games, and computers. After whining for 15 minutes (that has to burn calories too), they all three decided to go outside and play a game. They stayed outside until dark, and only complained when they had to come inside.
Banning anything when it comes to food seems absurd. The government is becoming the Nanny Nation, stepping into a role that the founders of our country probably never even considered. If the government is regulating foods in the interest of out children, shouldn't the next attack be on the go to babysitter of choice..t.v.?
Banning television for 3 hours a day would cause a nation of panicked parents, but it would make America's children healthier.
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