Hit me with your best shot!

I know it is hard to read the ad so here it is "How soon is too soon? Not soon enough. Laboratory tests over the last few years have proven that babies who start drinking soda during that early formative period have a much higher chance of gaining acceptance and "fitting in" during those awkward pre-teen and teen years. So, do yourself a favor. Do your child a favor. Start them on a strict regimen sodas and other sugary carbonated beverages right now, for a lifetime of guaranteed happiness."

I really hope this is a joke. That baby cannot be more than 2! Scary when you see real ads like this saying that one can never be too young to start. Ya, my parents really did me a disservice by not feeding me soda by the bottleful... riiiiiiiight (think of a good Kronk voice here). I wonder how moms back in the day rationalized this one: My child may be hyper and annoying now but I care about his/her future and they will be popular, I tell you they will! Drink up babydoll! I understand if they didn't know better but today, with research, with such an increase of knowledge, why are we not getting wisdom from all of this immediate, at-our-fingertips knowledge. I guess that is because wisdom comes from experience and trusting the guidance of others. Both are very risky. I set aside the fizzy most often though, because I would like to leave the experience of acid reflux and throat cancer behind the human race.

This just all reminds me of a health promotion class I attended. We went through a jar of the newest and most creative tobacco products. Sneaky companies! I really believe it is scary how hideable the newest stuff really is. They have cigarette boxes that literally look like candy wrappers from even 4 feet away, chewing tobacco cans that look like beef jerky cans, and then there are these nasty buggas below...tobacco mints...and believe me they smell just like a regular mint. I could only tell because I have had tobacco before and noticed a very trace scent.


But what is more scary?...we are still poisoning ourselves with this stuff all the time, and the packages just get prettier, and the ads get more enticing, and the product gets more tasteful. My suggestion: Know who you are, know what you want out of life, know what you are okay with and not okay with, know your own standards, LIVE your own standards.