I'm going to say something that may cause some shock.
Some horror.
Something that is contrary to all the motherly advice I've peen programmed to believe without question for a decades now.
Something that my own grandmother probably would have fought me to the death about.
And I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get kicked out of the Mom's Club for it.
Here it goes...
I don't think sugar makes children hyper.
I think it's all in the mind of parents that kiddos get crazy hyper after eating sweets.
And... here's the shocker... I have science on my side. Like
here and
here.
There's a TON of sugar coming in to our house this weekend and on Monday evening. Literally it might be close to a ton! OK, not quite, but we have 4 trick-o-treaters that will be bringing their treat bags home no doubt heavily laden with candy and sweets.
I used to get really really stressed out by Halloween candy. And I mean really super-duper stressed! I didn't know what tact to take.
Let them eat it?
Exchange it for a special toy?
Ration it out over the next 16 months?
Throw it all away? (I did that one year purely out of frustration. It wasn't one of my finer moments.)
Among mama's, it's a polarizing subject!
Over time, I have decided that our children can eat absolutely as much candy as they want Halloween night. It's quite disgusting actually. Each year I'm sure
I'll they'll turn green and get sick, but
I they never do. And after the carnage of Halloween night, we put all the candy up and resort to our old house rules re sweets. A few weeks later, when all the favorites have been consumed, I throw away what's left of the Halloween candy. I'm not sure it's the best tact to take, but it works for us, and most importantly I don't feel wacked-out about the whole candy thing.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like sugar in my children's diet. They're empty calories that cause cavities! And the caffeine that comes in chocolate and soda absolutely can give children extra energy. And I do religiously monitor caffeine intake at our house. But I don't think sugar is inherently bad.
So... bring on the candy! I personally will be eyeballing the Baby Ruth's! At least for 1 night that is.
As a mama, what's your plan for all that candy that will be coming home Monday night?