>Do Kids Meals Need a Maturity Rating?

>Just like I was as at their age, my children are all about the kids’ meals at fast food restaurants, particularly those that include toys. They love collecting all of the toys from a favorite movie or special kids’ meal release- and I love the kids meal toys because they’re a great way to keep the kids occupied when we’re out and about- and I don’t have to worry too much about losing them.

But yesterday was a different story.

“What’s the toy, Mommy?” Punky asked excitedly as the cashier at Burger King handed me two kids meals. I looked at the bags and did a double take. They were covered with pictures of Kristen Stewart and Rob Pattinson. ECLIPSE, the bags read.

Seriously? Eclipse? I know it’s a big summer movie…

…but not with the kids meal crowd!

“You’re not going to like the toy,” I said, pulling out two plastic “leather” bracelets with cheesy sticker decals on them. The kids both sighed with disappointment. I handed Punky her kids meal bag and she giggled.

“Mommy, look at what’s on this bag,” she chortled, pointing at the heartthrob-style pictures of Taylor Lautner and Rob Pattinson that covered it. Apparently, we were lucky to receive the armbands, because other “toys” featured jewelry with the teen idols’ smoldering photos- not exactly something I want Punky to be carrying around with her at the tender age of six.

“What is this movie?” she asked.

“It’s a grown-up movie,” I answered. “You wouldn’t be interested in it.”

I’m not one of those moms trying to shield my children from every single thing on earth that’s the slightest bit questionable. But there is absolutely nothing appropriate about peddling Eclipse to the 3-10-year-old set. The movie is PG-13. It’s an adult-themed film about vampires and werewolves and dark magic and fighting and teen love. I enjoyed reading the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer (the movies? Eh…) and I’m sure my daughter will, too, when she’s a teenager.

But teenagers aren’t eating kids’ meals. KIDS are.

I’m writing about this now because honestly, I’m really disappointed in Burger King’s marketing choices. I guess I never thought I’d have to monitor kids’ meals for their content. My daughter had several questions about Eclipse last night– She wanted to know why she couldn’t watch it, and it’s a conversation I had to have thanks to Burger King’s ridiculously inappropriate marketing tactics. She had a hard time understanding why a kids meal created for her contained something she wasn’t allowed to see. Thanks to Burger King, Eclipse is now on her six-year-old radar– It shouldn’t be and wouldn’t have been if it weren’t for that Kids’ Meal.

Boo.

Hey, Burger King? If you need some Kids’ Meal ideas, might I suggest the following summer movie releases:

The Karate Kid
Despicable Me
Marmaduke
Toy Story 3
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Ramona & Beezus
Nanny McPhee Returns

Just a thought…

Disclosure: I went to McDonalds’ headquarters a couple of weeks ago, but this post was not influenced by that trip. Kids’ Meal toys aren’t something I’ve ever given much thought to– until last night.