Well, we’re all prepared and everyone is excited. In order to continue this bliss, there are 5 steps you will want to take to ensure that your kids do not fall down the slippery slope of sugar highs, tiredness and tantrums.
Step 1: Have an easy, but healthy dinner prepared like soup and sandwiches along with raw veggies and dip. Eat earlier than usual to give yourselves more time to dress up and prepare for the evening. While eating, review how to call out “Trick or Treat” in a non-shouting voice and speak about Trick or Treating manners (ie.Thank you very much, etc.)
Step 2: Get the kids dressed. If it’s cold outside, be sure they wear undershirts, stockings or extra socks.
Step 3: Go Trick or Treating! I suggest choosing 1-3 blocks of houses instead of a whole neighborhood. The fun is to get out, show your costume, see others and get some nice treats. It’s NOT to bulk up on 60 pounds of sugar.
Step 4: Check the candy or sweets when you get home. Each child dumps out their bag and either mom or dad goes through it to make sure all is safe. Homemade items, sadly enough, should be avoided as should candy that seems opened or half-opened.
Step 5: Make a rule that only 2 pieces of candy will be eaten a day, then let your kids choose the 2 items they’d like to enjoy that evening and the other 2 they’d like to enjoy at school the next day. Then, mom or dad takes the bag and stores it somewhere that is out of kid’s reach.
Bonus Step: Put the kids to bed at their normal bed time (or as close to as possible) so that they are refreshed for school the next day.
Erin Kurt, parenting & life coach to working mothers, and founder of ErinParenting, is also the author of Juggling Family Life and creator of The Life Balance Formula and the How to Get Your Child to Listen program.