From The Rainbow Fish to The Lorax, many of the tales we inform youngsters contain embracing yourself, ideas, and differences—specifically in the face of adversity or derision. We want to educate their courage and the strength to arise for their convictions, no matter the results. So, in that spirit, society has to muster some golfing claps for 2 British kids who can become kids non-Grata by launching a petition asking McDonald’s and Burger King to remove plastic toys from their kids’ meals.
Their Change petition has racked up more than 300,000 signatures. However, we hope 7- and 9-year-old antique Ella and Caitlin are also geared up for the haters. In their petition, they write—probably via help from adults—that they’ve been learning in college about the environmental price of plastic: “Children most effectively play with the plastic toys they supply us for a couple of minutes before they get thrown away and harm animals and pollute the sea.”
Whether youngsters toss these plastic toys inside minutes or hide them forever in carpeting for parents and babysitters to step on barefoot with painful regularity is up for debate. But what’s much less debatable is that disposable plastic is in social crosshairs nowadays. Would or not fast-food chains can’t introduce youngsters’ meal toys crafted from every other kind of material? Or, higher yet, should we give kids a toy that’s used up instead of thrown away, like crayons or temporary tattoos?
The petition reminds us that our allocation of outrage is selective. Why the furor over straws but not Happy Meal toys? Way to call it as you see it, Ella and Caitlin.
Okay, I cannot assure you of the happiness promised. However, the latest article, “Science says mother and father of success children have these thirteen matters in common,” published in Tech Insider, lists chores as one thing that might result in kids’ fulfillment as adults. The article quotes author Julie Lythcott-Haims (How to Raise an Adult) praising chores as they teach youngsters that they “should do the paintings of lifestyle so that it will be part of lifestyles.” Let’s examine the benefits of chores extra deeply (and I will present my no longer scientifically demonstrated idea of why they make kids happier).