NO McDonald's for you

[Racket_Man]

a NY man in the middle of a contentious divorce, was labeled an inept parent because

HE gave his 5 YO son, during a scheduled visitation time, the option of
A. Anything BUT McD's
B. nothing at all

Child choose option B.

A court assigned psychologist then alledgely reported to the court

Schiller told a judge the fast food flap "raises concerns about the viability" of the father's weekend visits with his son and asked a judge to eliminate or limit them, his (Fathers lawsuit says.

http://money.msn.com/investing/news....08&id=17089625

[siead_lietrathua]

the kid sounds like a brat. seriously.
your options are ANY PLACE except one, and you brat off enough that you'd rather not eat?
sounds like reasonable parenting to me.

and i bet if the mom did this? it wouldn't be shown as a problem, but as her giving him a "life lesson" that we don't always get what we want.

freaking misandric divorce system.

[Greenday]

Hopefully the judge realizes that the psychologist is a quack. There is nothing wrong with telling a kid they can't live on total crap.

[bainsidhe]

My first reaction is one of disgust at the mother and this psychologist. Then I wonder, what are we missing from this story?

BTW, hubby was forced to help pay for this psychologist and he is now suing and demanding a refund.

[Nekojin]

Any judge worth their salt is going to look at that Psych Eval with disgust. A parent being firm because of concern about the child's welfare ("eating too much junk food") is in no way cause for declaring the parent unfit to have visitation.

The father isn't the one with primary custody. Arguing that the father should lose ALL visitation rights simply for saying "No" to McDonald's is ridiculous - that move is generally reserved for abusive parents or egregiously neglectful parents. There are other cases that we've seen (mentioned on this board, I think) where a judge refused to remove visitation from a parent whose home was an absolute pig sty.

If anything, the judge SHOULD suggest that perhaps the psychologist is unfit to work for the State.

Edit to add: I'd note that the father took the child home early from the dinner visitation, so that he WOULD have time to eat once he was returned home.

[Panacea]

My first reaction is one of disgust at the mother and this psychologist. Then I wonder, what are we missing from this story?

BTW, hubby was forced to help pay for this psychologist and he is now suing and demanding a refund.

I'm wondering the same thing; what are we missing.

However, the kid was taken home early enough so he could get dinner at Mom's.

I don't blame dad a bit. I've refused fast food to my nieces and nephews; their parents didn't think I was an unfit aunt because of it but rather looking out for the kid's best interests.

[Ginger Tea]

Is McD being used as a generic for 'junk food' or could the child have said Burger King or similar and be taken there?

[smileyeagle1021]

The only thing I could think of with this (assuming that it is accurate at face value) was when did we start living in Nea So Copros and purchasing fast food (or any generic cheap crap from megacorps) became a legal obligation?

[hinakiba777]

Is McD being used as a generic for 'junk food' or could the child have said Burger King or similar and be taken there?

This is my initial question as well. I mean were the kids options really "anywhere but McDonald's" or was it more "anything but fast food?" Either way the kid is still a brat, but if it's just McDonald's it gets more ridiculous. I mean there are PLENTY of food options out there that aren't a happy meal.

Like everyone said, since when it providing you kid fastfood a requirement of being a fit parent? Why do I get the feeling if he had given in at some point we would have heard from this psychologist stating that the father was unfit because he ONLY fed his son McDonald's for their weekly dinners?

Honestly, that psychologist is the one who doesn't seem fit.

[s_stabeler]

let's not forget that the father DIDN'T let the kid go hungry- he cut short the dinner visit so the kid could eat at home with his mother.

That pyschologist needs barring for working with kids.

[lordlundar]

This is my initial question as well. I mean were the kids options really "anywhere but McDonald's" or was it more "anything but fast food?" Either way the kid is still a brat, but if it's just McDonald's it gets more ridiculous. I mean there are PLENTY of food options out there that aren't a happy meal.

Could be that McDonald's is the only place the kid goes and his father wanted him to try something different.