Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Parental "No" Files: All Organized Sports - Your Kids Are For Sale

Want your kids to be involved in after school sports?

Better start practicing your "No"s as there'll be plenty.

I've done stories already on hockey, lacrosse camp, and kid triathlons, and just over the course of this past week I received these 3 "No" opportunities:

More hockey - here's a Facebook encouragement from the Ottawa District Hockey Association sent to me by Kevin that encourages group members to activate their Hockey Canada Club Card (meant for kids) to get a free Mars bar and Delissio Pizza


Here's some photos sent to me by Jenn from some cross country ski racers who in turn have been turned into little skiing advertisements for chocolate milk (lait au chocolat)


And here's what was sent out by the West Ottawa Soccer Club (and to me by Lara) - an enticement for 5 free meals at East Side Marios for kids 10 and under (and of course special offers throughout the year):


The take home message here is simple. The folks who organize kids after school sports have no qualms whatsoever selling access to your impressionable children to the purveyors of junk food. And my bet too, like the example I provided yesterday, many would defend these practices either by way of suggesting all you need to do to fight them is invoke your parental "No", or that one chocolate milk, Mars bar or meal out for dinner won't hurt anyone.

The problem of course - it's a constant barrage and even if you did manage to constantly and consistently say "No", there are undoubtedly also countless opportunities where parents aren't around to  exercise that parental option.