Opinion: Money for jam not a good idea

While I'm all for a bit of bribery - eat your broccoli or you don't get any dessert - I think paying cold, hard cash is going a step too far. PHOTO/FILE

A leading obesity campaigner is suggesting that paying children to eat their greens could halt the obesity crisis.

While I'm all for a bit of bribery - eat your broccoli or you don't get any dessert - I think paying cold, hard cash is going a step too far.

It is a struggle to get children to eat their veges. I know what it's like. The little darlings go to all sorts of lengths to get out of it.

Sore tummies, hiding peas in pockets to be disposed of when no one is looking, feeding the dog under the table, throwing it out the window or simply sitting at the table for so long that mum or dad finally caves in.

That's just part and parcel of parenting and growing up.

Many families find it hard enough to put food on the table without paying their children to eat it.

How would it work? Maybe 50 cents for a carrot, 50 cents for an apple ... the dreaded broccoli (which most of these children will come to enjoy later in life) would probably take at least $1 to swallow.

Easy money for them - not a good lesson to learn because money does not come that easily. It has to be worked for.

There are already too many people out there who think it's okay to sit back, do nothing and take from others.

A prime example is the group of seven young boys who thought it was okay to ambush a taxi driver and take phones from him.

One of them king-hit him from behind - that could have ended really badly.

Our children need to be given love and guidance - not money for jam.