Halloween night last only an hour or so, but the reprecutions can last for weeks.
Our neighbourhood is great for trick-or-treating (in my opinion, as a mother). The houses are spread far apart, and we actually only have houses on one side of the street. So by the time the kids are tired, they have really only hit 20 homes or so. Which translates into about 30 pieces (thanks to the homes who like to dole out more than one piece to cute children.)
I have always been on the side of allowing my boys one piece of candy a day. That way I can somewhat manage the sugar-highs and rotting of the teeth. But here are two other ideas shared by friends this week, both of which I think are good options.
1) Apparently, dentists say that having a lot of candy for a short period of time is better than long, drawn out exposure. The suggestion here is to allow your kids as much candy as they want for a week, and then toss whatever is leftover. What about the sugar overload affecting their behaviour? Well, you will have that to contend with, but at least it is only for a week. My friend suggests getting your kids outside to wear off the energy, or even running around the house. They made a game of it in their home: my friend would give them fun tasks to do, like running upstairs and finding something red and bringing it down, then going back up for something blue, etc.
2) The trade-in method actually might be my favourite. This idea eliminates all the extra candy that your kids don't really like but they will eat anyway, simply because it is there. (You know, all those little sugary bites, or the caramel toffee, or the candy cones. I can't believe I used to eat those!) Let your kids pick 10 pieces of candy they really like, then have them "trade-in" the rest for a small amount of money to hit the dollar store with. Truly, my kids would be happy with a dollar and a small toy, and they wouldn't even miss all that extra candy.
I love trading ideas with other moms. I was completely convinced that the one candy a day was the best (and only) way to manage Halloween candy. Now I've got three tricks in my bag. Do you have any other ideas or tips?
3 comments:
I also did the one candy a day with you girls and it lasted forever! I am not into the guzzling down as much candy as you can in 10 days, but I love the idea of trading in the candy for money and a trip to the dollar store! I didn't mind you guys having candy as you rarely got it any other time of the year (other than Christmas), but the trade-in method would certainly work great for three already very active boys. :-) You might just have to make sure that their daddy doesn't get into the candy which they trade- in. :-)
Love, Mom
We do the trade method - Griffin got one piece of candy, and then traded the rest for a new toy. Since we generally stay away from sugar this works well for us...except next year I have to trade it right out of the house, so I don't eat it all!
You're nicer than me. We took Shea Trick or Treating, then, when we got home, I took all of his candy, re-filled his little bucket (which had been emptied several times during the night as we went along), with a handful of little chocolate bars I bought myself (and thus knew to be safe), allowed him several of those the night of trick or treating, and then this candy mouth thing my mom got him the next day, and that was it for Halloween candy. My family ate what we wanted of what he collected, and the rest of what we bought for him, handed out the rest to late-coming trick or treaters, and that was it.
Same went for Easter. He had a few pieces of his monster truck chocolate form, and then the box sat on top of the fridge for months until we realized it was there and tossed it.
Shea seems to be under the impression that these holidays last one day. I am not going to correct him until he notices himself :). I do like the trade-in method, though, for when he does catch on :).
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