Cigarettes and Happy Meals.

Woo! It's official. Our city passed a clean air ordinance. I'm so glad this smoking ban will now be in effect. It is long overdue, in my opinion. I don't have a thing against smokers. Really. Every body's got their vices. I feel that. However, I don't like being exposed to smoke when I'm at a restaurant or in a public place. It aggravates my eyes and I hate that day-after smoke smell on clothes when I go out. I also don't like getting to a restaurant and having the server ask me, "Smoking or Non". I always want non, but the wait is always double. Should I have to wait longer for a table just because I don't smoke? This sista says nu-uh. The servers really need to start asking, "Smoking or Second Hand". Really it's all the same air anyways. I might actually decide to hit up a bowling alley in the future once this ordinance is in full effect. There was nothing worse than smelling like bowling alley. Smoky skank butt. That's what it was. So glad that we're just 90 days away to a smoke-free Bowling Green!

In other news...
I watched Nightline last night and they did a story on Happy Meals. It was all about McDonald's being threatened with a lawsuit for including toys with Happy Meals. What? There have been people complaining about the food not being healthy (Duh. It's fast food) and that the toys are like a cigarette to kids. Some suggested that McDonald's should stop giving out toys and then kids wouldn't want to eat so many Happy Meals. Hmm. I smell a challenge coming on.
While I know kids love these little toys inside the Happy Meal boxes, I think a lot of them genuinely like the food too. It's good. I love me some McDonald's. I liked it as a kid and I still like it as an adult.  Let me just tell y'all. The 2 cheeseburgers meal doesn't come with a toy, but that doesn't stop me from ordering it. The food is the prize to me.
So, just for fun and because I like being a nerd, I decided to conduct a little survey with my guinea pigs students. During indoor recess, I conducted individual polls because I didn't want them to be influenced by others. I asked each student:

• Do you like McDonald's?
• What do you like to eat there? Do you get a Happy Meal?
• Let's pretend that McDonald's stopped putting toys in Happy Meals. Would you still want to eat there?

I surveyed 18 of my 19 students (one left early). Yes, I have a dream size class this year, and yes, I am loving every minute of it.
All of my kids said that they wouldn't like it if McDonald's stopped provided toys in Happy Meals. However, out of my 18 kids, 16 said that they would still eat at McDonald's even if they didn't get a toy. All but 2 kids would still eat McDonald's without the toy influence. See. They're all food lovers like me.

Here are some quotes from those that would be bummed about not getting a toy, but would still down some McDonald's food:
"I would still eat there. I love their fries. I wouldn't like not getting a toy but I would still eat there."
"I wouldn't like it but I would still eat there."
"I would be okay with that. I really like their food."

One kid said, "I like Happy Meals the most because they have toys." Yes. These kids love the toys, but what kid doesn't. What makes me said is that for some of my kids, a Happy Meal toy may be the only new toy that they get unless it's Christmas or a birthday. You take these toys away and there will be some sad babies. Let them be kids and have some joy and get a junky Happy Meal toy.

One of my kids that said he wouldn't go near McDonald's again if they stopped dishing out the toys said, "If it doesn't got a toy, I'll never go there again."
Once my surveying was done, I asked my Assistant to guess the two boys that said they wouldn't go to McDonald's without the toy influence. I told her to think about the personalities in our classroom. She guessed the two kids right off the bat. They're both kids that don't want to work without getting a little something back as a reward. They're driven with the "what's in it for me" mentality. If they don't get something out of it, what's the point. Interesting? I think so.

I also found it interesting that out of my 18 kids, they're all chicken nugget eaters except for three. The other three like burgers. They all said they loved McDonald's fries though. Some even talked about the Apple Dippers and McFlurries. Yes, we're Americans and we love fat nasty food. I'm lovin' it.

Click here for the Nightline article and news clip if you're interested.