Playdate at McD
We have not gone to McDonalds since June of last year. That is, until yesterday.
I was supposed to take the kids to open gym, but the little one decided to take a nap just before I could get her bundled up for the ride. It was a short nap, but since there wasn't much time left to play at the gym, and the kids are fired up to run around, I thought I'd take them to an indoor play area. But nah, that's inconvenient right now, unless of course we go to McD, of which just the mention of it made the kids go "yah!"
The first question asked of me was, "We're not gonna eat the food, right mama?" I was laughing in the inside. And to the inevitable, they ended up eating yes, non-vegan fries and vanilla sundae cone.
The kids had the play area to themselves until a van load of kids came, 12 beautiful kids to be exact. They all have dark hair, like mine. I approached the only adult with them and started a conversation. They were all hers except for one- 7 adopted, 4 foster. And that's not all, she has 4 of her own, all grown up. I noticed how well behaved the kids were and how calm the mom was- I told her she is amazing and that I have such respect for people like her. It was interesting to me how this mom has this many beautiful kids with her and yet she was all eyes on mine! (I also found out that they do 9 loads of laundry a day.) When they had gone, I was left thinking about my own attitude about my kids and motherhood in general. Boy, was I changed by that encounter.
I usually carry a book bag with me and this was no exception. I brought a couple of sprouting books that I just picked up from the library and a cookbook. I've had Jennifer Raymond's "The Peaceful Palate" cookbook for a while now, but had only looked at recipes until yesterday. I was flipping through the pages when this title caught my attention: Dairy Products and Eggs. I immediately felt heaviness as I started reading... mixed emotions, then the tears, then rage and yes, compassion.
For a little background, I started cooking vegan mainly for health reasons- I shouldn't really be calling myself one. If you're a hardcore vegan, I won't fit in your definition of the word, really. But that is slowly changing.
Who would have thought that a cookbook could make someone cry? The Peaceful Palate did that to me, but then again, that happens when I'm reading aloud a piece of good literature to my children anyway!
I still don't like going to McDonalds. They probably won't see us for another year or so, maybe never. But I really had the sense that God was showing me somethings there. And I'm thankful He did.
12 Comments:
I wouldn't even support McD's with my money for a bottled water. Ugh. But I do support you in your decision to still take your children to a gym and you live where it's cold so indoors it was. I respect that you chose your children, and find it interesting that your daughter said "we're not going to eat the food, right?". What happened from that point, to when you laughed on the inside, to the point of them having food?
You had me back and forth...
"Oh no, they went to McD's and they ate non-vegan" (and the fries aren't even vegetarian, they are made with beef tallow, you can look up ingredients in the restaurants themselves).
Then I got the gist of your reasons for vegan, as mine were only ethical at first (vegetarian since I'm a small child, just have it in my heart, I guess).
Then I read about the cookbook and you cried and felt something and you have more awareness now. I think you have started to before the incident at McD's yesterday, it has just all come up and kinda hit you on the head with a bump of awareness! It's a process and always ongoing and your palate, feelings, thoughts and everything else will follow in the positive changes.
BTW, I do the occasional stop-to-pee at McD's when I'm on long roadtrips... but that's all the business I do with them!
Yeah, McDonalds. (Actually, in our little town, Burger King is the one with the playland)
We struggle a lot, because we are recent vegan converts. The beginning of last summer, we ate at McD's or BK at least once a day!!!
We started going vegan (Eat-2-Live diet) for *my* health reasons. I was on 3 blood pressure medicines, 1 cholesterol medicine, several migraine medicines, plus I weighed 220lbs. The doctor told me that I was at risk for heart attack, and I wasn't even 30 years old yet!!! (I'm going to post about it in my blog pretty soon, complete with photos... it's been a life changing experience)
So, we started for health reasons. That has changed, and we are trying to influence our children to do the same. However, we want it to be their choice, so right now we're leading by example (and largely by what we cook!)
Grandma still takes them out to eat garbage sometimes, and we still have some Mac & Cheese in the pantry that we are using up -- but slowly it's getting better.
Our middle child is a VERY strict vegetarian now, by her own choice. It ticks me off when her relatives try to force meat on her... (Yes, I've gotten into some heated discussions recently)
Anyway, I understand taking the kids to Mickey Dee's. I find myself there too, since my mother-in-law works there, AND they do have tasty coffee...
Shawn, I'm interested in your future posts, wow, I didn't know (by looking at your *recent?* photo that you weighed 220 last summer). I am looking forward to your story as I am sure you will be inspiring so many people (and doing other good things at the same time) when you share.
Hi,
I really have enjoyed reading your blog. We have many friends with large families 8 or more children. What blessings !
We used to do play time at McD's when my children were little and they had just what your children had as treats.
Feel free to link my blog to yours and thank you for the kind words regarding it.
Leslie, those 12 kids I was talking about, they all had sundae cones and I was not about to explain to my 2 year old that it's non-vegan...and fries is one of her favorite food. When you go to that place, everyone's eating fries, she wouldn't understand, and that's why we simply just need to avoid going there. I feel that writing about the experience gives me more accountability.
You are right that I got it before yesterday, but it was never this personal.
And the last time I had "pork extract" with something I ate, I had weird, distorted dreams that night, and figured it had to be the dead animal. Gross! So now I'm more careful.
Shawn, I'd also love to see your personal health testimony. I myself lost 30 pounds in the process and is now maintaining. We consider ourselves a positive influence, and some of our loved ones are taking the steps in the same direction not because of what we say, but of what they see.
This was a wonderful entry! Everything about it!
Sorry I haven't been around much lately...it's been crazy!
Hubs goes to McDs way too much but I couldn't tell you the last time I even bought a bun with lettuce and tomato on it! (That is what I used to do incase of no other choice or no time at all)
About the large family...I look up to that woman as well! Originally I wanted to be a fostermom or adopt a child and not have any of my own children. I had a friend that adopted and saw how great the family and experience was and loved it! I wanted to do the same for many years.
I haven't eaten fast food in I don't know how long. Your story reminded me of the last time I was at McDonalds and how I struggled with going. Not too long ago, two or three months I took my two youngest kids by McDonalds for a treat. We had been running errands and they needed to burn off some energy. I bought them each an ice cream cone and I had an apple in my purse. We went into the play area and they were much more interested in my apple than ice cream. That made me happy.
My husband eats meat :(. It is even hard for me to watch him eat it anymore. We eat totally vegetarian at home, since I was raised vegetarian I don't even know how to prepare meat. I am slowly turning the family over to vegan. We had pizza the other night with soy cheese and they didn't even notice, hee hee.
The lady with all the kids sounds amazing, good for her!
The book you read sounds interesting.
We went to Mickey Dee's this evening. (No, you didn't put the idea in mind or anything) We were shopping, and drove past the place. They have recently changed from the old urine smelling playland to physically active things. (Well, there is this "Nintendo Gamecube" thing -- it's not exactly physical)
Anyway, the kids did eat there (my little veggie girl had a salad. :), but more importantly, Veggie Daughter and Mommy had a huge Air Hockey battle, and there were laughs and giggles all about.
It was the best time, and the least food we've ever had there.
I really did struggle watching my kids eat animal products, however. I have to remind myself that setting an example is important, and not to condemn them for living the way we've raised them for years...
It was a mixed emotional time, that's for sure.
Thank you all for reading my blog and leaving comments. I love getting them and more, the fact that the kind of comments I get now have really evolved.
I wanted to keep my blog food-centered, but for some reasons, life keeps getting in the way. (lol)
Patty, Harmonia and Cee, thank you so much for sharing.
>>>setting an example is important, and not to condemn them for living the way we've raised them for years...
Really good point, Shawn. Thank you for being so open. It's so good to hear from another family we could relate to!
Kai,
Thanks for visiting my blog and commenting! I posted a (rather lenthy . . . sheesh!) answer to your question about my weight loss. Will you do the same about your weight loss? I love to hear people's success stories!
And about McDonald's . . . after I watched "Supersize Me" and am now reading "Fast Food Nation," I will never eat at a McDonald's again. I should make it a personal policy to avoid fast food altogether. (I did get a shake at Culver's on my way home from Chicago yesterday . . . and it made me so sick!) However, don't beat yourself up for taking your kids to McDonald's -- I think once or twice isn't a big deal. Fast food is, unfortunately, a large part of American culture. Commercial television, video games, fast food, junk food, computer games -- all somewhat icky parts of our culture, but parts of our culture, nonetheless. Rather than isolate children from icky stuff, I think they need some experience with it so they know how to handle it later in life.
An example: my friend's sister's husband was never allowed junk food or television as a child. Now as an adult, he has no self control in either of these areas -- he watches television for hours, and can polish off an entire bag of chips in one sitting. Scary.
I can relate. When I lived in North Dakota there was nowhere for my kids to go get some exercise when it was freezing outside. So, I took them to Burger King once in a while during the winter.
Catherine, I had requested Fast Food Nation from our library system and just waiting for my turn. (Too many requests, their copies are constantly out) I think I will do the same with the Supersize Me DVD.
My story is up.
Sdg, we have really nice indoor parks or play areas (for a fee) throughout the cities that we go to, but sometimes they're just not too convenient. There are (free) open gyms in nearby community centers.
Also, we live just a few miles from the Mall of America- talking about running around! Whenever we go there, they love playing at Legoland, but we try to avoid the indoor park unless we are up to spending big bucks on rides and daddy is with us.
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