I have been hearing about Halloween for weeks now. Today I actually heard something that was wise. How do you allow your children to have fun and NOT eat too many sweets? It is fun for kids to see how much candy they can get, but so many children today have ADD, allergies, or are just sensitive eating so many sweets. What is the answer to, like many parents, just giving in and letting them eat as much as they want? Not any of these sound like a good time for the parents or the children.
I read an article today where they had solutions. However, these cost the people who were giving the treats out; buying toys, tooth brushes, books and even coupons can add up fast.
I liked what my neighbor does. The kids go out in the neighborhood to get candy, for what ever amount of time their parents give them. If they always say "thank you", there is no fighting, arguing, and the night goes smoothly, both kids pick out their favorite 10 things from the bag. Of course they have games along the way, where a small piece or two is checked then enjoyed. Just as they get home the candy is looked over, and each picks out their 10 favorites.
After the kids pick the ones they want to keep, their parents take the rest to be church treats in Sunday School. Then instead of all of the sugar, the kids get to pick a toy, going to the movies, or something else special.
I thought this was genius. Along with going trick or treating they get to look forward to what their parents decided they would "give" in exchange for all of the candy. It could be as thrifty or as special as your budget allows. Even if it's a day at the park, everyone is happy. They are already looking forward to the weekend after Halloween.
Sugar isn't good for children. So much of it isn't good for anyone. In today's world, the candy has to be wrapped, store bought. That means a whole bunch of chocolate, sugar and additives maybe leading to trips to the dentist, unwanted fat, etc. This way they have fun, laugh, and enjoy the dressing up. They get to have treats and still have something special to look forward to after Halloween!
Have a fun night. I really liked this idea. The candy went to a good cause, another family outing, and everyone is happy.
Source: My neighbor's family does this.
By Luana M. from San Diego, CA
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Of course, if everyone did this, Sunday School would have too many treats, and the problem would be just transferred there. My sons (nor the children in my class) were not permitted to take treats to school, so really, they only ate them in the evening - dessert for several nights. They had to share with mom and dad, just because. They all tended to ration them out, keeping them in their rooms for several weeks, until nothing good was left.
With regard to taking treats to school, I let my kids and my students take non-sugar treats - like chips or raisins or juiceboxes. If they knew this was the rule before hand, it wasn't usually a problem.
This is a good idea, overall. I read a different idea recently in my local paper: a local dentist paid his patients $1 for every pound of candy. The candy got sent to our troops serving overseas. Some kids sold everything, some kept part for themselves. Everyone wins there...
JustPlainJo, thanks so much I always enjoy reading your posts! I thought this was so great. I like the idea of the troops I'm going be posting about Christmas where we do that.Halloween is a great idea!
It is a good idea to limit the amount of candy that kids eat. Taking somewhere else is just transferring the problem. Even donating it to troops overseas is transferring it. Nobody needs to eat that junk, all modern candy is basically poison. If the kids are educated at home and at school they would know what the stuff in candy does to them. And have no problem throwing it away.
I saw this post about it and agree entirely.
spoonfedblog.net/
My office building collects "leftover" candy for donation to the local homeless shelter to hand out as "dessert" with the hot lunches they provide. Great way to remove the temptation.
We put a box out at church and all the Halloween candy not wanted goes to Operation Christmas Child Shoe boxes. The chocolate cannot go so we give it to local charities. It is a solution for our church group.
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