You may be thinking I’ve lost my mind, that I’m encouraging you to eat bags full of Halloween candy and allow your children to eat the sugar and processed chemicals in candy. No, that’s not what I’m suggesting.
But, I got to thinking: if you act like a “meanie” and take the candy away from your kids they are not going to be happy. And who wants unhappy children? As an aunt who adores my nieces and nephews, I never want them to be unhappy.
Here’s a thought – use this Halloween as an opportunity to teach your children about the importance of self-care. Help them to understand why it is so vital to their well-being to take good care of themselves and make healthy food choices. Have them think about how they feel when their throat hurts and they have a fever (great time to talk about their immune system). Or, when their belly aches (how about that digestive system?!). Of course, they may not comprehend everything, but let’s face it, children are really smart and they will begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
Then, make a deal with them. Don’t just take away the Halloween candy, buy it from them so they can save money for the item they’ve been asking for or “exchange it” for something they want that will last longer than the candy. An iTunes gift card? A new sweater from their favorite store? New doll or action figure? New app for their iPhone?
You can determine any price range that is comfortable for your budget. The important message is that healthy choices are paramount for their well-being and sugar and processed food can compromise those efforts.
This Halloween you don’t have to be mean. Be the greatest parent ever and give your children the wisdom and knowledge they need to be their best and reward them for taking wholesome actions.
(After you’ve bought or exchanged the candy, throw it away. You don’t want to compromise your immune system with lots of sugar, do you? )
