Candy Police
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Candy Police
| Tue, 10-31-2006 - 9:54pm |
DH and I were just discussing what *our* moms did with our Halloween treats growing up... basically nothing - we had full reign over when, where and how much we ate. I shudder to think what my boys would do if given that privelage. On one hand, it might help teach them moderation and self-control (yea, right). On the other hand, the faster they eat it, the sooner it's out of the house and we go back to the *no candy* rule. In past years, I've monitored my kids' candy like a policewoman, doling out one "big" or two "small" per day, and only after dinner.
What do YOU do?
Melissa
DS (AS,8), DS (5.5), DD (2), DD (8 mos)

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Since I am cutting WAY back on the amount of sugar we eat, I don't even like having the stuff in the house.
My son *is* the candy police officer in our house. I have to keep encouraging him to eat it before the onslaught of Christmas goodies begins. It's not unheard of for us to have a stash of Easter candy to toss at Halloween, or Halloween candy at Easter. He's just veeeeery paranoid about overeating it and getting a tummy ache.
Now his two year old sister (who we are still assuming to be NT) is not so concerned with her health. But she is still of an age where she is told to ask before she gets any candy from her bag... so we moniter as we go.
One very important rule in this house (at least to the sugar addicted parents) is the concept of the 'Candy Tax'. Since we made/bought the costumes and took the to the candy getting activities... they are well aware that *we* may come and claim a piece at any point and time. They have the option of vetoing a selection they were specifically 'saving' as long as they don't abuse the option... however they must indulge mommy's candy habit. LOL
Kristy
I fondly remember my brother and I dumping our candy in the middle of the living room floor. We seperated it into three piles: 1)gum for my brother 2) Reeces for me and 3) all others which my dad took what he wanted and then would pitch the rest. My mom would keep the candy for a week or two and then throw it away. We rarely had candy in the house.
For my son, he is allowed to pick out one piece to go into his school lunch and maybe one or two pieces for after dinner. We'll keep it for a week or two and then throw it away. I rarely keep candy in the house either.
Christie
If my cousins were there visiting for Halloween or Easter we'd play poker with our candy, lol. I don't ever remember having candy around for long though. We had a pretty much sugar free house because of my brother (probably AS). I'm guessing Mom pitched it after a day or two.
I usually end up throwing the candy out because they don't eat it. My kids like candy bars but not much else. This yr they surprisingly got a lot of candy bars. Usually its just the "yucky" stuff.
When were were doing SCD I bought the candy from them in exchange for a toy or video game. They loved that idea.
Samantha
Oooh, good question. My parents also never monitored our Halloween candy eating, and it was all gone within a couple of days, but I also think we didn't get nearly the amount of candy my kids do today. We'd get one stick of licorice, one package of smarties or something like that at each house. It was a rare house that even gave out chocolate. Nowadays, at least where we live, the majority of the homes give out chocolate, some even give out full-sized candy bars, and most people give out multiple pieces of candy. I allow my kids to keep/eat way too much candy, but they still only keep a fraction of what they receive. We only went up and down our own street, and the kids received between 125-150 pieces of candy each (the neighbors we know well literally dumped handsful of candy into their baskets -- argh)! I hate making the kids quit trick-or-treating after a few houses 'cus the fun is in the trick-or-treating, but they end up with soooo much junk! The last few years I've told the kids they get to keep a certain number of pieces of candy, and mom & dad get the rest to eat, give away and/or toss. I let my kids gorge themselves (5+ pieces) for a few days until their portion of candy is gone, so it's out of the house faster and because I think that's part of the fun.
Interestingly, my 8yo AS can make his candy last FOREVER even tho' he has an insatiable appetite for other foods. I never really have to monitor his sugar intake, just everything else since he's not a huge sugar eater! 12yo AS dd, on the other hand, sneaks sugar.
My 8 yo AS son sneaks sugar *all the time*, which is why we now don't keep sweets in the house. That's one reason I was considering letting him monitor his own candy intake (a limited amount of it), just to see if it would make a difference if he were in control, rather than it being kept from him... you know, we always want what we can't have, right? I also think that the indulgence is part of the fun of Halloween. I'm still on the fence as to what to do.
I know what you mean about the amount of treats being given out. Some of my neighbors hand out 'goodie bags' with 4 or 5 pieces of candy - it's crazy!
ROFLOL! we have candy tax & cookie tax for pretty much anything and everything our kids get and we like! our kids friends think it's weird (and probably mean)!
Betsy
When I was a kid we went to only people we knew and then only about 5-6 houses. One lady always gave out popcorn balls, another (always our last) stop gave out homemade doughnuts and hot apple cider or cocoa.
Our kids have a huge thing of candy. We put it all together so everyone can share. We let them have a whole bunch last night (in addition to Amelia's birthday cake and ice cream!). Today they each had 2 small pieces after school and will probably have some after supper. We'll probably continue that for a few days/week, then it will go away. I have been known to freeze the chocolate and use it in stockings at Christmas-- yes, I even regift my kids their own halloween candy at christmas time! LOL!
Betsy
Betsy,
ROTFLOL!!! Don't they notice the pumkins on the candy wrappers? too funny.
Samantha
Great idea Betsy!!! LOL!
Christie
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