I came across a few articles as well as several news segments about junk food advertising, with parents urging for control over such advertisements during the peak / family hours.
It is true that advertisements do influence people’s choices in their purchasing and consumption habits. This is because they are meant to bring brand awareness, to be persuasive with the intention to influence your decision to go with their brand, and to hand over your money to them. Otherwise companies would not be forking out big bucks in advertising, right?
However my question today is – is there a need to ban junk food advertising just because people are “blaming” the health and well-being of the children on advertisements?
So ask yourself. Do the advertisers “point a gun” at your head to force you to purchase their products? Do they drag you into the shops and blackmail you to consume their brand?
What are your values?
As a family you have the power to decide what is the best for your family. What do you stand for when it comes to empowering your family/ children and your family health?
For example:
- Do you believe in healthy eating for your family? Do you enforce the values of healthy eating in your family?
- Do you make it a point to make one meal time a family time and share wholesome home cooked dishes with your family?
- Do you take the time to guide your children about healthy eating, nutrition, how read food packaging labels, talk about the consequences of too much junk food consumption?
- How often do you cook at home?
- Do you give in to your children when they “nag” about buying unhealthy food?
Remember, you have a CHOICE!
When you are sure of what you stand for when it comes to your family’s health, NO amount of influences out there in the world are going to make you purchase something that is against your values and your beliefs, do you agree?
You have the choice to say NO! to the influences of advertisements, and you can say NO to your children’s nagging. Just because the advertisements tell us or portray to us that your children will be “happy, bright and bubbly” if they consume their nuggets or chips, you are not going to “buy” that sentiment! Why? Because you know better!!
Be an empowered and confident GoParent. Know what is best for your family and don’t play “victim” to the influences of the advertisements or anything else out there.
NO ONE can influence what you can and can’t do if you are SURE of what you want in life, i.e. what you want for your family’s well-being and what you stand for in life.
So if you want your family’s lifestyle to comprise of 80% healthy choices, so be it. Tell your children so and stick to your healthy family values. Your children learn from your actions more than what you tell them. Don’t be hesitant or afraid to use the power of the word NO! Especially when you know that the outcome is for the betterment of the family.
Be the confident and empowered parent your family needs you to be!
Have a wonderful day ahead!
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.