My son was just asking me to go to wwwdotunicefusadotcom, or something close to that. You might be wondering why a four year old would want to go to Unicef's website. That is because the commercial on Cartoon Network told him to. He was thinking there would be fun games. He also thought that Unicef was associated with trick-or-treating, something he's already looking forward to. Must have been a pretty cool commercial.
I did not see the commercial myself. What I can tell you is that it was promoting Unicef's new gimmick to turn Halloween into a charity drive. Instead of letting your kids enjoy Halloween, they want you to turn your kids into panhandlers asking for money for other little kids. There's nothing lower than parents dragging their kids into their own political causes which the kids couldn't possibly understand. It's also pretty low to turn around and ask someone who's doing something nice for you to give you even more. Your effectively asking for something else which they weren't offering, and then making them feel bad if they don't want to give it up. That's what the crackheads do if you hear out their sob-lie and give them a dollar. Couldn't you just give me five? NO! Now I wish I hadn't given you one.
Halloween is for kids to enjoy themselves. Not to give out healthy foods because you don't believe in candy. Not to distribute religious pamphlets. Not even for grown people to dress wildly and get drunk. It is for the enjoyment of kids. Probably, because it is simply for the enjoyment of kids, is why it is a dying holiday; it doesn't involve shoving a religious message down anyone's throat or honoring some political cause. But my how quickly I would shut my lights off and blow out my jack-o-lantern if people started hitting up my house for cash after I already spent my hard-earned money to buy candy so I could give it away. That WAS my contribution.
I'm not denying that Unicef is a solid, reputable, organization which really does help children world wide. I'm not saying that people shouldn't give them money. What I am saying is that stealing kids holidays for any reason is wrong, that's what this is, and it's not something to be supported.
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6 comments:
My children who are 16 and 12 have taken part in Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF when they were younger and I recall collecting for Unicef on Halloween when I was a child. Perhaps as a parent you should stop and think about the children in third world countries that don’t have Halloween. They are lucky to see there next birthday. You’re talking about candy? Hell 1 out of every 6 kids doesn't get the food needed to be healthy.
That is great. As I said, UNICEF is a worthwhile organization that people should give money to. I've given money to them myself. What does that have to do with Halloween?
I have to agree with Lenny on this one. If you want to do a fundraiser to support kids, do a fundraiser and EARN money to give away. Have a bake sale or something. By just hitting up people nice enough to give you something anyway, you're taking advantage of their generosity and really you're making you kids no better than those church people who jump in front of cars and dangle buckets around at intersections, expecting you just to hand them money because they're a church. Nothing in life is free. If you want something, including something for someone else, go out and earn it, don't just beg other people to give it to you. I don't know about you, but that's the lesson I want to teach my kids.
I remember UNICEF from when I was a kid. I appreciate what they do and have no problem with kids taking up donations. My problem is with the Cartoon Network and most other kid stations out there brainwashing kids. Granted parents play a large part in granting or denying their child's wishes but telling young kids that they need to do this to be good is a bit much. I don't think this is something a four year old should be worried about.
So not only do I have to give out candy to the neighbor kids, but I have to donate money too? I can't wait til Thanksgiving when my only jobs are to eat and donate a few cans of creamed corn.
Morgan I disagree with you and at least my children know the true meaning of giving and that is more than I can say for many people and trust me I know all about the lessons that you teach your children.
Lenny I'm sorry that you cannot see what it has to do with Halloween and I'm guessing that you think Christmas is about Santa too?
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