Last year my children didn’t get dressed up because I had just had our third baby about a week before Halloween, so things were hectic.  But this year the kids asked if they could. Here are a few pictures of my cuties on Halloween.

We don’t live in a good neighborhood for trick or treating because the houses are far apart and there are long driveways (the kids would probably get exhausted by the 4th or 5th house).  LOL   I am not against trick or treating or anything like that.  We have taken them when we were visiting my mom’s one year.  She lives in the suburbs of Jersey and there are houses EVERYWHERE.  It is a trick or treater’s paradise!

I am so happy that we have a great alternative to trick or treating.  My church puts on a Harvest Festival each year where the kids can go to play games, get their faces painted, and get a big bag of candy.

As a mom though, I really don’t like the candy aspect of Halloween.  It can really become a battle, not only with the kids, but with yourself.  Having all that candy in the house can be very tempting!  🙂

Here are a few things that I do, to keep the peace in our home concerning the Halloween candy nightmare.

1. Keep the candy out of reach. This is huge.  I have seen a lot of parents just put the candy in a big bowl that would be kept on the counter where the kids could dip into it anytime they wanted.  This is not good at all.  If the candy is that easily accessible then you cannot monitor your child’s sugar intake.  They could be sneaking into that bowl every few minutes.  Keeping the candy out of reach of your children will help them to appreciate it more and it will be something special.

2.  Allow one piece of candy per day. For us, after a holiday like Halloween or Easter when the kids get a lot of candy, it becomes a focal point for a week or two.  In order to keep my children from taking control over the candy situation, I set clear boundaries.  I allow them to choose one piece of candy per day and it is to only to be eaten after they eat their dinner.  And if they do not eat all their dinner (or most of it), then they don’t get the candy.  This is a bit of an extra incentive for my picky dinner eaters.  So, the candy actually becomes a reward.

2.  Store the candy in a large clear ziploc bag. If you have multiple children, then this idea is definitely a good one.  If each child has their own bag with their name on it, then you are less likely to have battles break out between siblings.  And because the bag is clear, this will help the child see what candy they have without having to dump out of the container in order to make their selection.  Sometimes I don’t even allow them to open the bag until they point to what candy they want.  Let me tell you, I am all about making things easier – less mess, less strife.

So, there ya have it – my tips on setting boundaries for your children and their Halloween candy.  How about you?  What do you do?