Don’t worry, we won’t suffer the little children any food deprivation in this country, either.

What gets me is that it manifestly is not the children’s fault. Six and younger really can’t feed themselves, and are utterly dependent on what the parent brings into the home. They aren’t at school spending their lunch money on sugary sodas. They also don’t have spare cash with which to buy things.

So the best they can come up with is kids being exposed to sugary cereal commercials, and again–whining for sugary cereals only works if the parent, an allegedly competent and independent adult, is powerless to buy anything other than what the kids cry for.

My neighbors had this dog, a yellow lab. That dog had the begging thing down to an art form. She would furrow her brow, cock one eybrow in piteous need, and lift one paw, haltingly. I would laugh at her, pet her, say, “Nice try, but I’m gonna get you on a 412,” and would eat my food with greater relish, not sharing it with the dog. Why? Because when I cried for Count Chocula, my parents would say “nice try” and then make fun of me if I caterwauled about it.

I quickly got the picture and didn’t caterwaul, and soon the dog learned not to bother begging from me.

Yeah, it takes some stamina, but it is possible to do.