SIR – Re McDonald’s: parents need to send clear signals.

I fail to see what all the fuss is about.

What’s wrong with having a fast food outlet close to a school? Anyone can raise massive numbers of signatures when canvassing in the city on a Saturday afternoon, most people will sign anything just to get away and on with their lives.

Surely all a parent has to say is NO. Where parents fall down is they don’t mean it!

They give in, so the child knows they can press and badger to get a yes!

I looked up the definition of the word NO: “a negative used to express dissent, denial, or refusal, as in a response to a question or request”.

So, a word of advice to all parents, when you say NO, mean it, don’t go back on it, then your child will have a healthy respect for the word NO and will of course realise that NO means NO.

I once went on a parent and toddler trip to Bristol Zoo. Nearing the zoo there were two children playing up, throwing food at each other.

The mother was losing her temper and she then threatened her two children “if you don’t stop it, I wont take you to the zoo”.

Tell me how was that threat going to work? Clearly it wasn’t and there’s the example where to a child No means Yes!

GARY KIBBLEWHITE

Worcester