Monday, October 27, 2014

Savvy Moms Guide to Halloween Candy


1.  Store it on the highest surface in your house, like the top of the refrigerator. Note placement of buckets in case your naughtiest one decides to steal some.

2. Get the buckets down before regular teeth brushing only. Otherwise, start making the dental appointments now. The stickier the candy, the worse the dental bills.

3. Have a chore ready for them to do, for which they will be rewarded a piece of their candy (before morning teeth brushing, or before nightly teeth brushing). This morning I chose a laundry chore for them.


Each white basket has a child's name on it, and they have to fold their clothes when the basket is half full, and then place the clothes in the correct drawer in their bedrooms.

4. If anyone is caught stealing, they lose their next piece of candy, and they still have to do the chore involved.

5. Have the evening candy be their dessert for the night, and offer two to three pieces so the whole candy nightmare is not too drawn out for poor Mom. Consuming candy after a meal doesn't result in the quick rise in blood sugar, followed by the slump in energy and mood. That happens for the most part when the sugar is taken between meals.

Although, I think some desserts that have other wholesome ingredients in them too, can sometimes be taken between meals without a blood-sugar problem (as long as there is no diabetes?).


6. Have them count their candies after trick or treating, and then count backwards as they disappear. You can even graph the candies. It adds in some math skills for the younger ones (daily counting-down practice, for example). And most importantly, it keeps you, the sometimes-stressed mother, from stealing the chocolate ones. 

7. Have them pray for the family who gave them that particular candy, each time they consume one. God knows which family it is, and at least 70 to 80 percent of your neighborhood needs to know Jesus.

Your turn. What are your candy rules? Do you dread Halloween candy? I used to dread it before having a plan. The constant begging for candy drove me nuts! We just finished our third year going trick or treating, so I figured it was time for a solid plan.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow great tips, thank you I will be using all of these;) I usually just deal with it and hope it's gone fast-or I end up throwing some away.

As He Leads is Joy said...

Those look like some great rules. You are wise to think of the rules so reduce the begging. The kids didn't go this year. We just got back from traveling and I just didn't have anything for them. We did hand out candy or actually Miss K stood outside with a bowl.