I am dreading Halloween not because I am a party pooper but because it causes a real problem for us. Braden LOVES CANDY but it is SO BAD FOR HIM I don't mean loves it like all kids love candy- he is OBSESSED with it !!! He has had so many problems with malnutrition, blood sugar problems and energy levels being so up and down - he is addicted to sugar !!! We really work hard on getting him the right nutrition, vitamins and balancing the need for his gtube feeds during the day now too...
Too much carbs/sugar can cause him to have metabolic acidosis, D lactic acidosis- put him the ER ...all kinds of consequences. Last year right after Halloween was our fateful ER trip that was the last straw and we ended up with no doctors for nearly a year after the fiasco So we would like to avoid Halloween all together but want things to be as normal as possible for all our kids.

We are trying to come up with some creative ways of managing the sugar tempations and still allow the kids to go trick or treating on their own this year My kids are 11 and are planning on going out on their own this year with friends- I am ok with that part but very concerned that Braden will go nuts eating candy while he is out. If the consequences were just him feeling a little sick from too much candy- no big deal but there is so much more at stake with him !!!

We will take everyone's candy when they get home and dole it out slowly. I plan on having the kids trade in their candy for privileges and donating the candy....wish me luck with that please

Lorraine

Reach for the heart of God and not just His hands.
Organ donation saves lives!
Life happens when love is given.


http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradenwild

Lorraine,

A friend used the "Halloween fairy". Your children are too old to believe it in, but could be fun to let them willingly give up the sugar stash for a new game or cool sleepover party, etc.
Mel let the children have a couple pieces after trick-or-treating before the "fairy" took it away that night.

Good luck!!! (fwiw, my kids will be allowed to chose 10 pieces and the rest will be donated. I'm tired of picking up wrappers...)
Tracey

Michael (10)
Francesca (9)
Matthew, Alexis & Gabrielle (8)
Torunn (Norwegian DD,19)
Johannes (German DS,16)

Tracey-
I'm with ya on the wrappers Why is it so hard to get them in the trash ?!?!
I am going to come up with..not there yet...a really fun/different incentive this year for them to give up their candy. I love the costume part of Halloween but that's where it ends I really don't like the rest .

Lorraine

Reach for the heart of God and not just His hands.
Organ donation saves lives!
Life happens when love is given.


http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradenwild

Our dentist pays $2./pound for candy brought in to the office.
Maybe you could try a similar idea? Offer TV, computer, video game time for each pound of candy returned uneaten.
Any diabetics out there? They would have similar issues.


Judie and Victor
lucky parents to
Frankie 3/95
Maggie 7/96
Rose 7/96
Elizabeth 7/96

I certainly feel your pain. Ds6 is a type 1 diabetic, so Halloween is a PITA for us, too. Our kids are used to the limitations (even though ds6 can have anything he wants so long as we cover it with insulin, we still limit the candy so that his glucose does not go too high), they still want to eat a ton of candy that night.

As for some candy solutions, I dump all thier stuff into our "hand out" bowl when we get home and give HUGE heaping handfuls to all the older, later trick or treaters--that takes care of a lot of it. As for the rest of it, we let the kids eat a piece or two for dessert after dinner most nights, I send one piece with their lunch, but most gets tossed...but I toss it a few peices at a time so they don't even notice.

There are places collecting for service men and women...maybe they would be willing to do that.??
Becky
Realtor in Ohio and Indiana
Emma,Amber,Ian 8/18/99
Olivia 9/29/00

I let our kids have eight pieces then I freeze the rest. At Christmas I stuff their stockings with the same left over freezer candy. (All 6 of my kids are clueless that I am recycling). My fifteen year old told someone this week that mom puts it in the freezer and then eats it all herself-NOT. I give them a small amount over time for doing extra chores. I have also sent some for school and church parties. I have chopped up candy bars for adding into recipes like fruit salads or cookies. By Valentines day we use more of our "Halloween stash" as treats. Then we are usually out of candy. However after I hit the after valentines sales and buy the hershey kisses for 50 cents a bag in the silver/red/green packs. I separate the colors and use the green ones for st patricks day school parties. The red and silver go back into the freezer for use in making birthday treat bags in April.
Lisa

Hi Lorraine,

One of my son's friends told us that he trades in his candy for prizes. He furthered by telling us that the prizes are actually quite decent (i.e., money, DS games, etc.!).
In my kids' old school, there is a teacher who donates candy to the kids in Mexico. So, I think this year we are going 50/50!

7mozz

hi lorraine
i haven't read the other responses so maybe someone already suggested this, but when we were little, after halloween evening we were allowed to keep certain pieces of candy and then we "gave away" the rest.

you can explain it like you do a christmas drive where kids give away toys. just say you are giving the candy away because you don't need all the candy you received, and then drop it off to a charity of your choice. this year our excess candy is going to the home of loving faithfulness, a charity for kids with severe mental challenges.

i think your idea of trading in candy for privileges is an excellent one as well. great alternative!

tess
mummy to 5yr old ds & the triumverate born 2004

"the days are slow but the years fly by quickly"

My SIL gives the kids a small amount and then freezes the rest for gingerbread houses. Don't know if your kids would be into it still, but you could talk up a big gingerbread house making party?? Maybe a contest?

Amy
Mom to:
G 00
B 01
BBB 02

I too dread Halloween. Partly for the candy, but I also struggle with the spiritual aspect of it and feel like I am "selling out" when I allow the kids to particiapte, kwim?

But I try to take it all in stride, make it fairly low key, and the kids know and accept my "rules" regarding it and seem to have a nice time, so it works for us. But it has taken many years to really come to term with it, for me that is.

About the candy - I totally agree - Times 3 we all get ridiculous amounts of candy. They do get to keep some, slowly doled out, but most goes with daddy to work so he can pass it around there. That is a good idea about freezing it, but I think I would do better to hide it in the vegetable bin - lol.

P.S. Thought I would add, I sort of outlined my rules and reason in my blog - since someone asked me offboard just what we do.


http://teensandtriplets.blogspot.com/

Wiltrip Mom with 5
2 teens & BBG - school age and easier than the teens!

Lorraine,

Just another obstacle this poor guy has to deal with, and you by extension. I don't have any new suggestions for you, just support.

FWIW, I give very little of the candy to my kids, I just can't handle the sugar extremes. We put all of the candy into a big bucket and they get to pull a piece out occasionally for doing extra chores or as a special treat. I put in all the candy we get through out the year (Halloween, Christmas, Valentines, Easter) and I always have stuff left over so it all gets tossed out at Halloween again.

Can you talk with the other kids and get them to give up the candy for Braden's sake, as a show of support? How about giving Braden a punch card, instead of picking up candy at each house, he makes a punch on the card and adds up the points for something he really wants. Then he won't even have the candy to begin with. If you give him something to snack on while out, he wouldn't eat any of the candy while out. Just some random thoughts, I hope it goes well with you all tonight.

Kim
Nate, Nick & Noel(36w4d)and Nia.

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Hooray! Trick or treating is finished!! We did have fun, but can't wait to ditch the tens of 1000's of calories.

Only purchased one costume and a pair of footie pj's. The rest was creative thinking for their Halloween attire. I'm proud of the children!

Our costumes:
me-Mission Control
Michael-pilot (using dad's old equipment and uniform)
Francesca-gothic cutie
Lexi & Gabi (and Dani, BFF)- triplet babies w/ bottles
Matt & Matt(BFF)-Siamese twins/dorks w/ nerd glasses

Happy Halloweenie Night....BOO

Tracey

Michael (10)
Francesca (9)
Matthew, Alexis & Gabrielle (8)
Torunn (Norwegian DD,19)
Johannes (German DS,16)

We survived !! Chris (dad) went with the kids trick or treating and then I hovered much to their dismay and was an annoying mom who only let them eat 2 of the mini pieces of candy before it was taken away- they made trades with their friend that went out with them and were happy that it all didn't go in the trash- like I had to threaten at one point
So now the negotiations begin for where to donate what privileges that want to get etc...

Lorraine

Reach for the heart of God and not just His hands.
Organ donation saves lives!
Life happens when love is given.


http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/bradenwild

We call Gregory the "candy monster." Seriously, the kid loves candy. I take his bag and put it up on the top shelf of the laundry room where he can't reach it. He has to ask either me or hubby if he wants any candy, so we control his intake. We've done this since he was 6 or 7 so he's used to the restriction. I usually don't let him have any unless he does something special - like an extra chore, etc.
Rowen has never been a big sweets eater. She puts her bag up next to Gregory's (so he won't get her candy) and she handles it herself. She eats it so slowly that it lasts her until Easter at least.
They didn't get much last night (most of the houses in our neighborhood don't hand out candy anymore) so it won't last long - thankfully!

My heart goes out to you on this one. But, frankly, my kids are less obsessed with the candy and more into the festivity of the whole thing... Perhaps there's some way to alter the focus on this?? Yikes.

I'd call the doctor and ask if you could make a deal with him. Tell him your concerns and ask if he will agree to "pay" your children $1.50 per pound (or whatever you can afford) for their candy, and then slip him the money under the table. That way, they can go in and weigh the stuff on the official scales; know that they're all doing something healthy; and, you'll get rid of the stuff without any additional headaches. Your doctor has got to like the idea, too, and it would be applied across all of the children. Let's see if their greed outweighs their gluttony... of course, both are great virtues!!!! LOLOLOL!!!

Good luck, sweetie. Give me a call, okay?

Cat w/3 Kittens
Caidan, Carina and Caeleigh
Born at 31 weeks, 1/8/04.
It is better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. In memory of Carina, who was greatly loved.

http://b3.lilypie.com/bDA

I for one am SO glad it's over!!!! Three of mine can't have red dye and Zane is SERIOUSLY allergic to dairy, can;t have a DROP. It was funny though. As we made our rounds people would try to give candy to my kids and they'd get a lecture - "I can;t have that because it has red dye in it and I can only eat food that is red NATURALLY", "I'm lactose intollerant and I can;t eat chocolate." We had to stop them and give them a little lesson in HOW to trick or treat and what NOT to say. We are donating all the forbidden candy and they are getting one piece a day. They did GREAT that night and only ate one piece each!

Jack is obsessed with it as well . . . wants to know where it's hidden and has what kind he'll eat planned out for the next several weeks and would sneak it if he could find it. It drives me NUTS and it's not even truly dangerous to him!

Their first year here we had them buy stuff from us with their candy like you're suggesting.

363 days.
Jack, 6 years old on July 4
Abraham, Dylan and Zane, 4 years old on July 6
35 weekers and 6 pounds a pop!