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**Written by Doug Powers

The CEO of McDonalds told the Center for Science in the Public Interest to go pound non-fat, sodium free sand over the summer, but they’re back with a lawyer this time:

WASHINGTON—A mother of two from Sacramento, Calif., says that McDonald’s uses toys as bait to induce her kids to clamor to go to McDonald’s and to develop a preference for nutritionally poor Happy Meals. With the help of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, today the mom, Monet Parham, is filing a class action lawsuit aimed at stopping McDonald’s use of toys to market directly to young children. The suit will be filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco shortly after the court opens for business Wednesday morning.

According to Parham, the main reason her six-year-old daughter, Maya, asks to go to McDonald’s is to get toys based on Barbie, i-Carly, Shrek, or Strawberry Shortcake. The food seems almost beside the point to the kids, says Parham, because the toy monopolizes the attention of Maya and her two-year-old sister Lauryn.

Because I’m in the mood to help the Center for Science in the Interest of Intruding on the Public come up with some alternatives, here’s some advice for the mother mentioned in the story: The next time your kids ask to go to McDonalds, try saying this: “NO!” It’ll work wonders — or you can just sue McDonalds if it’s easier. That way you’ll get the added benefit of teaching your kids exactly how they too can grow up to be crappy parents.

Not to belabor a point, but if the toys are distracting the kids from the food, shouldn’t Happy Meals be receiving the Michelle Obama “Let’s Move” Golden BMI Calipers seal of approval instead of lawsuits from spineless, intrusive ninnies?

If they don’t like Happy Meals, let ‘em move to San Francisco.

Update: Jammie Wearing Fool has much more on the agenda behind this lawsuit.

**Written by Doug Powers

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