Lately, I have been observing grown adults asking the young members of their family where they should eat. Seriously, you wouldn't let your toddlers drive, so why let them decide where to eat?
Although making choices are one of the luxuries in life, I don't believe most children should be given so many choices. Most times, these children who are asked to choose are not ready for the responsibility.
I had a great childhood b/c I hardly have to make choices. I eat what was put in front of me. My choices were what's on the table or to be hungry. By not participating in my food choices, I also avoided a lot of bad habits. I didn't choose junk food over healthy food b/c I only had healthy food.
Same thing with consumption. The last time I visited a friend of mine, she was in the process of trying to get her daughter to throw up some of her 200+ collection of stuffed animals. Of course, by allowing the child to choose, about 150+ of the toys stayed. It was sad because the mother acted as if she didn't know how all this happened.
It isn't easy to be the disciplinarian, but it is absolutely necessary. Rather than focusing on choices, kids should be learning responsibilities and giving to others. A person has all of his adulthood to learn how to make consumption choices but only his formidable years to learn how to be a decent person.
