Because Why?

On a lovely afternoon, six years ago, I found myself in the check out line at a local housewares store with my then three year old son.  Only one lane was open.  We were next and there were at least four people waiting behind us.  As we approached the cashier, my son asked me a question that, to this day, causes me to break out in a cold sweat.  "Is that a man or a woman?"

I should also mention that my son had not yet grasped the concept of the elusive "indoor voice".

I glanced at the cashier.  Oh my.  He?  She?  I desperately looked for clues.  Close cropped hair, no make up, no jewelery, flannel shirt, no obvious protrusions.  I did, at that point, what I'd like to believe any parent would do.  I offered him a handful of goldfish crackers and a few gummy bears for good measure.  The snacks were refused. 

"MOMMY!!  IS THAT A MAN OR A WOMAN?!?!"

Oh my God - could he BE any louder?  It was suddenly very quiet in the store.  The pressure was on.  Think think think.  What would MacGyver do?  An idea came to me!  I scanned the cashier's torso praying there would be a name tag and praying even harder that it would not say "Pat" or "Chris".  And there it was - "Jennifer". Hallelujah!

I calmly looked at my child, sitting in the shopping cart, awaiting my answer.  "Silly goose.  It's a woman, of course! Her name is Jennifer - can you say 'hello' to her?" Crisis averted!  I am supermom!  Jennifer rang us up and we were good to go.  We had barely begun to walk away when the next question came.  "But how come she looks like a man?"

Sometimes, you just have to keep moving and not look back.

Kids are curious.  I've seen that statement written in countless books and magazines. But they didn't really mention HOW curious.  No one really tells you that, on average, pre-schoolers ask one thousand five hundred sixty-three questions per day - give or take a few hundred.  And that maybe, you might have the answer to two of them - max.  Also - preschoolers are not shy about where and when they hit you with these inquiries.  The really tough questions seem to come at the most inopportune moments;  almost always in public and in the presence of complete strangers who seem to lean in a little closer and dare you to come up with an answer.  And it's not like the SATs.  If you don't know, you really shouldn't attempt to guess.

If you are a person who is easily flustered and hates to be put on the spot, you may want to avoid the following places during your offspring's childhood:  waiting rooms, retail stores, public transportation, and elevators.  And probably church and the library. 

Many of the questions that kids ask in the early days are pretty standard fare - so if you are a first time parent and your child has now formed sentences that other people can actually understand, be prepared for something like this:

1)  How come that person is so fat?

2)  How did the baby get in there and how will it get out?

3)  What does gay mean?

4)  Where is heaven and do dead people watch me poop?

5)  What is that Kotex stuff?

6)  Is Santa (or the Tooth Fairy or The Easter Bunny) real?

7)  How come some parents don't live in the same house?

8)  If you have to be married to have a baby, how come Billy's sister is having one?  She's only 16!

9)  Why do I have to be nice to someone if I don't like them?

10)  What does *$#@ mean?


When you are caught off guard and don't have an immediate answer, it's best to go with one of these:

1)  That is a very good question.  How about some candy?

2)  Let's look it up on the internet later.

3)  Ask your father.

4)  I'll tell you when you're older.

and my all time favorite:

5)  Because.

I recently found this book in the bargain section at the book store and have found it to be quite helpful:  http://www.amazon.com/Handy-Answer-Book-Kids-Parents/dp/1578591104.  However, I made the mistake of not reading ALL the questions before handing it over to my 9 year old. Thanks to this book, my son knows why adults grow hair in certain places and how exactly flatulence is formed.  On the other hand, two questions I don't have to worry about answering.

Attention, Please!

A few months ago, I was having a conversation with a friend about her son. He was having some behavioral problems in the classroom and she suspected he had ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder). She mentioned this to the pediatrician at their next visit and walked away from the doctor’s office with a prescription for a stimulant. Just.like.that. Okay, that? Is a problem. A big one.  For so many reasons.

First of all, there are a good number of medical conditions that mimic ADHD, some of which can be conclusively diagnosed via lab and other tests. Conditions such as: diabetes, thyroid disorders, lead poisoning, anemia, vision disorders, hearing disorders, and many others. When a child is suspected of having ADHD, all possibilities should be checked out. Not only is it dangerous to medicate a child without ruling out other conditions, it’s frankly, irresponsible. Parents must be strong advocates for their children and need to spend a good deal of time educating themselves.

After ruling out other medical disorders, there are a series of tests that can help figure out whether or not a child (or adult) has ADHD. The process is called Psycho-Educational testing and should be conducted by a doctor who is experienced. It makes all the difference. This testing may consist of teacher and parent questionnaires, IQ testing, various tests to measure memory function, attention, focus, and other tests that measure how the child learns.

The process which a family can go through to arrive at a diagnosis of ADHD can take months – perhaps even a year. Usually, when we suspect something is not right with our children, we want to know as soon as possible so we can begin treatment. The road to ADHD diagnosis is different and certainly one that you don’t want to speed through. If you suspect your child may have the condition, start by talking to the pediatrician about it. If a prescription is offered that same day, it’s time to see a different pediatrician.

Also, please know that medication is not the only choice and really shouldn’t be the first line of action to take. Treatments such as behavior modification, individual or family therapy, and social skills groups can be very helpful. As can dietary changes and supplements.

There is so much to learn about ADHD, it can be overwhelming. These are some good places to start:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adhd/ds00275

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/parenting_tips/parenting_child_adhd.html

http://www.chadd.org/

http://www.incrediblehorizons.com/mimic-adhd.htm

http://w3.addresources.org/

http://www.greatschools.org/LD/identifying/understanding-and-preparing-your-child-for-psychoeducational-testing.gs?content=901


There are countless books about ADHD for parents and educators, but it’s slim pickin' for kids. Here are a couple of good ones:

http://www.newharbinger.com/bookstore/productdetails.cfm?PC=566

http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/the-survival-guide-for-kids-with-add-or-adhd/

Random Tips for New Parents

Once you do the parenthood thing for a few months, you’ll understand why these are “Random”. They’re the only sort of thoughts you’ll have for a while….

Relax! Many people have done this before you. Everything will be fine. If you do mess up, don’t worry – studies show kids are extremely resilient and it’s much harder to ruin them than previously thought.

Even though you may have read every baby book in print, nothing can prepare you for how you will feel when you see your baby for the first time. In the first few weeks, you will experience something similar to multiple personality disorder with a touch of bi-polar thrown in. The highs are high, the lows are low and you will feel every emotion known to man at any given moment. Parenthood is the most joyful, terrifying, depressing, rewarding, exhilarating, exhausting, challenging, most natural thing in the world. In a nutshell.

Here goes:

• If you are eating spaghetti while holding your newborn, cover their head with a burp cloth. Ditto for soup.

• It’s inevitable that you will be rocking your baby to sleep, when you are struck with an urgent need to pee. The baby is just about asleep, but not quite which means if you try to put her down now – crying will probably be involved. You’ve had a long day and the idea of a crying spell does not appeal to you. What do you do? That’s a personal choice.

• When you have a napping baby, all the usual sounds of the day seem to be louder, more menacing, and somehow - intentional. There’s nothing you can do to stop the ambulances and barking dogs of the world. A white noise machine definitely helps.

• Your baby’s favorite time to poop will be:

a) Just as you are headed out the door.
b) Just as you have dressed your baby in tights and a fancy dress.
c) Just as you place her in the tub.
d) Just as you are drying her off
e) While on mass transit with no changing table in sight
f) All of the above.

Take a good guess.

• Babies can sense tension in their caregiver. They react negatively. Let’s say baby is having an evening crying spell and nothing you do seems to help. Just forget about the migraine inducing shrieks and do your best to go to your happy place. If that doesn't work, put the baby down in her crib and scream into a pillow for a few minutes.

• Baby poop can be projectile and quite explosive. They don’t tell you that in baby books. Defensive diaper changing is recommended, as is an apron. Also – newborns seem to like to make wee wee the moment after you take off the dirty diaper, but BEFORE you have the clean one in position. Having at least five changing pad covers on hand is ideal.

• Babies don’t really require warmed bottles. If you do use formula, use the powdered kind. Get a small Brita type pitcher and keep your filtered water at room temperature. When away from home, pre-fill your baby bottles with water and have coordinating pre-measured amounts of formula on hand. All you have to do is pour and shake.

• Always carry more diapers and wipes than you think you will need. Plus a couple changes of clothes for baby. It’s always better to be over-prepared. You might want a shirt for yourself while you’re at it.

• Trim baby’s nails while she’s sleeping. If you are afraid of taking off a chunk of skin, just use a baby emery board instead. Or beg the other parent to do it.

• It’s true what they say – if you are tired (and you will be), nap when the baby is napping. Sure it’s tempting to catch up on other things, but when the baby gets up well rested and you are about to drop from fatigue, no one wins. I learned this the hard way.

• Try to get out of the house each day – even if it’s for a five minute walk around the block. If possible, leave baby at home. Not alone, though. A few years ago, I read a story about a Mom who had run out of formula. The baby was asleep and was young enough that she wasn’t going anywhere. Mom decided to duck across the street for the formula. She expected to be back within 5 minutes. Well, she had a fender bender in the parking lot and it took a while longer. She told the police officer on the scene she had to get home because she had left her baby alone. Apparently, leaving the baby home alone is frowned upon. She was escorted home, by the kind police officer, when she discovered she had locked herself out of the house. True story. No – it wasn’t me.

• Immediately after becoming a parent, the world looks a bit different. Even your familiar surroundings seem strange for a while. It’s unsettling, but normal.

• Don’t drink hot beverages while carrying your baby. Especially if you are clumsy. If you must, at least use a travel mug with lid. You may have never spilled your morning coffee before, but why take a chance?

• Accept help. Even if it’s from someone you don’t like. As long as they know what they’re doing, don’t let pride or personal feelings stand in the way.

• People who give your child toys that have more than 10 pieces, or musical toys without an “off” button are not true friends.

• You know you are a parent when you:

a) start calling your partner “Mommy” or “Daddy” in public.
b) excuse yourself from a meeting to “go potty”.
c) know every make and model of stroller ever made
d) know where to locate restrooms and elevators in every department store.
e) sway and rock, even when not holding the baby.

• Dining out hint – stick with loud casual restaurants and save the upscale dining for occasions when you have a babysitter. It’s not you, it’s me. I don’t want to get all gussied up and go to a fine dining establishment, only to find myself seated next to a crying baby. I can get that at home, thank you.

• After you have a baby, you will miss the little things. Things like: eating a meal in a seated position, going to the bathroom with the door closed, a toy-free abode, and setting your own sleep/wake patterns. Don’t worry! Little by little, the universe returns these things to your life, and you will appreciate them like never before.

• Speaking of sleep/wake patterns…you will discover some new things in the early months. Things like: what t.v. programs are on at 3:47am, what exact time the newspaper is delivered, and what the rising sun looks like 8 days in a row. Although it may seem like the rest of the world is sleeping and you’re not, take comfort in the fact that across town – many other parents are in the same boat. Eventually, you will meet them and they will become your play group buddies.

• Always check your feet before you leave the house. Make sure you are wearing shoes and the left one matches the right. Sleep deprivation does funny things to you.

• Always make sure you have enough diapers in the house to get you through at least a week. Almost nothing sucks more than realizing at bedtime that you have just used your last one. Stash an “emergency” diaper or two around the house. It’s like a finding a $20 in your pocket, provided you remember where you stashed them.

• Accept the fact that you will take your baby girl out for a stroll – she will be wearing a frilly dress, bows in her hair, and full make-up. Someone will still ask you if it’s a boy or a girl.

• That same someone will also ask you when you are due. This is usually the same day you vow to stop wearing your maternity clothes post-partum.

• Familiarize yourself with all moving parts of your nursing bra before you actually need to wear it. Same goes for the Baby Bjorn.

• Never allow your baby to catch a glimpse of Barney. For reasons unknown to me, they will love him, but his voice will make you want to punch someone.

• If you feel like you are experiencing the baby blues, don’t watch the evening news. Or any of the SAW movies. Stick with comedies and reality TV. Project Runway got me through many a night.

• And finally – don’t worry about being perfect and doing everything right. Do what feels right for you and your child and ignore the Joneses. There is a new parenting trend evolving and it doesn’t involve any “whisperers”. People are going back to basics and trusting their instincts. Enjoy your baby as much as possible, as often as possible. Next thing you know, you are having a heck of a time sorting laundry because the “baby” is now wearing adult sizes. SIGH.

NOTE:  Please understand that I am not a professional baby expert.   In fact, my toddler doesn't sleep in her own bed and is not yet potty trained, and YET - I feel perfectly comfortable doling out advice, thank you.

A Process of Elimination

I don’t know about you, but when I think of food allergies, I think: Anaphylactic shock. Epi-Pen. Hives. My son never experienced any of those symptoms. As such, I never suspected he was allergic to any foods.

I knew he had seasonal and environmental allergies. A skin prick test revealed that he was highly allergic to trees, some grasses, cats, and horses. He spent nine months out of the year sniffling and sneezing. When his allergist suggested following up the skin prick test with a RAST food sensitivity test, I wondered if that was really necessary. The doctor explained that often, environmental allergies and food allergies go hand in hand. High level tree allergies can be related to foods that grow on trees, for example. There are different schools of thought on whether the skin prick test or RAST is more accurate in measuring allergic reaction, but we went with the RAST test, which is a simple blood draw. One needle, one prick. The results showed that my son had sensitivity to TEN foods. Ten foods that were a regular part of his daily diet. Foods such as: Wheat, corn, rice, peanuts, soy, apple, banana, tomato, potato, and citrus. Great. Now what?

Next came the elimination diet, which works like this: For a period of two weeks, ALL foods that have shown positive allergic reaction are eliminated. In a daily journal, you note any symptoms, change in symptoms, lack of symptoms, etc. After the two week period, you add one food at a time back into the diet. Ideally you eat as much of the food as you can stomach, to really challenge yourself. You do this for a period of two weeks with each food. If you notice a definite reaction, you eliminate the food and note if the symptoms are alleviated. If so, you can assume you are allergic to that food and move on to challenging yourself with the next item. It is quite possible to have false positives with allergy testing, so the elimination diet is necessary in order to confirm or deny.

Included in the detailed elimination diet instructions was a list of what to eliminate for each allergen. Sounds easy enough, right? For some foods, it is pretty simple. He’s allergic to bananas, so…no bananas. Not as easy as you would imagine for other items. Luckily my son is not allergic to meat and dairy, but here’s where it gets interesting. Yogurt. Sounds safe, right? I spent a great deal of time reading labels in preparation for the elimination and guess what? Most yogurts contain fruit pectin. Pectin often comes from apples. Apples are on the “do not eat” list, so…no yogurt. Ham is another example. Pre-packaged deli ham contains citric acid. Citric acid comes from…? You guessed it – citrus.

What added an additional challenge to this task was the fact my son was a finicky eater. Sure, he wasn’t allergic to fish, chicken, or beef, but would he eat fish or chicken without breading? No. Would he eat a burger without the bun? No, of course not. He’s also not allergic to veggies, but let’s not go there.

Some common signs of food sensitivity that you may not be aware of are: nasal congestion, irritation of the throat, headache, stomachache, nausea, diarrhea, red ears, eczema, etc. These are also common signs of seasonal allergies. This elimination period was really quite challenging and many of the results were unclear. Here’s what we concluded. There didn’t seem to be any food in particular that caused a strong reaction. It did seem, however, that a combination of foods sparked an onset of symptoms. Not every time, though.

Presently, my son does not have any food restrictions. I have noted when he reacts to certain foods, but it’s so inconsistent. One day, a glass of lemonade sparks a throat clearing marathon. The next day, he can guzzle a gallon of it and…nothing. Frustrating? You bet. Confusing? Is it ever! While I feel a bit of a let down that we weren’t able to close the book on the food allergy issue, I do feel satisfied that we’ve taken steps in the right direction and we’ll keep trying until we find our answers. Do I feel guilty about the years I unknowingly fed my son foods he was sensitive to? Sure, but Maya Angelou says it best – “you did then what you knew how to do, and when you knew better, you did better”.



*NOTE: At a follow up appointment with my son’s allergist recently, we decided to re-test him for food allergies, since two years have passed. This time, the skin prick test will be used. I’ll let you know how it goes.



Here are some links to resources on food allergies:

http://www.medicinenet.com/food_allergy/article.htm

http://babyandkidallergies.com/food-allergy-symptoms.php

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/AllergiesFood/story?id=4520924

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/allergies-elimination-diet

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/allergy-tests/MY00131

How Bizarre

Approximately six months ago, I wrote my first article about my picky eater and some of the meal time challenges our family faced. Presently, I am happy to report that my son is a mostly reformed picky eater. What brought about this change? Was it my amazing parenting skills, you ask? Admittedly, no. Well, some of the changes might be due to my extraordinary parenting skills, but I must give credit where credit is due. Here’s what happened:

During the peak of all this “picky eating” business, my husband discovered a show on the Travel Channel called Bizarre Foods. Watching episodes of this show quickly became father-son bonding time. In fact, we girls were often shushed and sent from the room during show time. Bizarre Foods is hosted by an extremely energetic chef and expert foodie named Andrew Zimmern. During each episode, he travels to all corners of the world, sampling all manner of cuisine. So enthusiastic is he, you wish you could join him on each adventure. My husband and son were fascinated by this show. Where would Andrew go next? Who would he meet? What would he eat? You would think this would be the last show a finicky nine year old would want to watch. You would be wrong.

SO – do I think Andrew Zimmern influenced my son to cast aside his beloved chicken nugget and try something new? Well…shortly after he began watching the show, my son (who would previously gag at the mere mention of seafood) ate a very generous serving of calamari. That’s fancy talk for squid.

Recently, there was talk at ilunchbox.com about how it would be cool to begin featuring interviews with celebrity chefs and food personalities. Hmmmm. I wondered if Andrew could spare a few minutes. If not for me, for a curious nine year old boy who would be thrilled to have the opportunity to ask his favorite TV host a few questions. I gave it a shot and heard back from Andrew’s “people” within minutes. My nine year old had scored his first celebrity interview. Not too shabby!

So here it is. Andrew Zimmern as interviewed by nine year old aspiring foodie (and my son!), Adam Rapp:

Adam Rapp: What is the grossest thing you ever tasted? Did it make you throw up?
Andrew Zimmern: It’s a toss up between the stinky tofu I tried in Taiwan or my mother-in-law’s pot roast. Both were pretty bad, but I didn’t throw up.

Adam: What is your favorite place to visit? Do you speak any languages besides English?
AZ: I speak what I like to call “kitchen Spanish and French”, but English is the only language I’m fluent in.

Adam: What is your favorite sport to watch? Do you play any sports?
AZ: I love sports, especially football and baseball. I’m a huge Yankees and NY Giants fan!

Adam: What is the scariest thing that ever happened to you on your show?
AZ: We almost sunk our boat in Samoa— I’ve never been so scared for my life! Also, when I was supposed to jump off a reactor in South Africa on the first season of Bizarre World. I am terrified of heights and just couldn’t jump.

Adam: What toppings do you like on your pizza?
AZ: Prosciutto, sausage, pepperoni... I like lots of meat on my pizza!

Adam: When you were a kid, what was the candy you picked most when you trick or treated?
AZ: Whatever I could get my hands on! I love anything that’s chocolaty with a crunch— Snicker’s, Twix, Butterfinger.

Adam: What is your least favorite food?
AZ: Walnuts! They’re disgusting!

Adam: What is your favorite vegetable? What is your least favorite vegetable?
AZ: I’m a big fan of all veggies, especially Brussels sprouts, asparagus and squash.

Adam: Do you like regular stuff like hot dogs and burgers?
AZ: Definitely. Love them. We grill at my house all the time during the summer. My wife is a meat and potatoes gal, so we eat a lot of “regular” food when I’m in town.

Adam: What do you usually eat for breakfast?
AZ: Yogurt, granola and a giant coffee.

Bonus question from Adam's mom:

Me: What is your advice for parents of picky eaters?
AZ: I can’t tell you how many emails I get every week from parents thanking me for influencing their son or daughter to try new foods. Whether it’s through shows like Bizarre Foods or Bizarre World, or books and songs about food, use entertainment to open their minds. Admit it: You didn’t like Spinach until you saw what it did to Popeye!


A big thanks to Andrew Zimmern and his Mediamonger Molly for making this happen!

To find out more about Andrew Zimmern and Bizarre Foods check out:

http://www.andrewzimmern.com/content/meet-andrew

OR

http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Bizarre_Foods

Lost in Translation

One of the biggest milestones in a toddler’s life is grasping the use of speech and building vocabulary in order to communicate their wants and needs. It usually starts small, with things like “Dada”, followed by “Mama” and perhaps “milk” and/or “pee pee”. Even if your toddler doesn’t say these words clearly, it’s simple enough to understand what the heck they mean when they point to their bottle and say “baba”. But when your toddler moves on to more complex words and tries their hand at stringing a few together, sometimes it’s impossible to figure out what in tarnation they’re trying to say. Learning to understand your little one is strictly trial and error. And believe me, they will let you know when you are not getting it.

There was an episode of the Simpsons a while back in which Homer’s brother invents a device called the Baby Translator. Remember?  Quite the moneymaker. Having such a device could avoid so much heartache and frustration. It’s hard to say which party is more exasperated – the little person who doesn’t understand why you are so dense, or the grown-up person, forced to play charades every waking hour.

The situation was definitely more difficult with my first child. Not due to the child, you understand, but simply my lack of experience. No one told me that when he first starting speaking, it would sound like an alien language that only he understood. And it wasn’t just me. Others would ask “what’s he saying?” My reply was usually “I dunno”. Because the only thing more annoying than not being able to understand your toddler is a parent who pretends that they know every single word their kid is muttering. You know who you are.

When my son was about 14 months old, he used one single “nonsense” word to actually represent several sentences. It was up to me to crack the code. This one took me about four days: “Hymee” = “Henry”. “Henry” = “Henry the Octopus from The Wiggles”. It was a slow and painful process, but a couple days later, I finally figured out that when he said “Hymee”, what he really meant was “I want to watch an episode of The Wiggles right this very instant, and it has to be the one where Henry is singing with his underwater jazz band”. There. That wasn’t so hard, was it?

This whole Toddler to English translation thing came much more easily with my second child. Many of her sayings (commands) are pretty universal, so here is a sampling of some of the more basic stuff. All the work has already been done for you, so enjoy!


1) What she said: “I go Potty?”

   What she meant: There’s a nice big puddle on the kitchen floor calling your name. Plus a few wet footprints. And a handprint or two. 


2) What she said: “I not ride stroller”

   What she meant: You might want to do a couple of stretches before you have to sprint after me in the crowded mall.


3) What she said: “I not tired!”

   What she meant: I was tired about 43 minutes ago, but you missed your window of opportunity and now it will take you two and a half hours to get me to go to sleep.


4) What she said: “no. No! NO!! NOOOO!!!!!”

   What she meant: I hope you don’t see anyone you know here because this is going to be a record breaking temper tantrum. Heh heh.


5) What she said: “Uh oh. I spill!”

   What she meant: I spilled my yogurt all over my face and my hair with my hands. Also, check my left nostril.


6) What she said: “I bump my head at ‘cool today”

   What she meant: Today, at school, I headbutted Billy. The teacher will be speaking to you about it tomorrow.


7) What she said: “I tooted!”

   What she meant: I think I only tooted, but if it’s still stinky after three minutes, you may want to check my pants. It could have been more. I can’t be sure.


8) What she said: “I pretty princess!”

   What she meant: I will be wearing this tutu with my pajamas and rainboots out in public all day and if you try to change my outfit, see #4,


9) What she said: “Mmmm. Yummy widdle bug”

   What she meant: Of course I didn’t eat the bug, but oh man – if you could see your face right now. Ahhh. Classic.


10) What she said: “I loves you, Mommy”

    What she meant: I loves you, Mommy.



Yes, Rosetta Stone…I would LOVE to collaborate with you on your new Toddlerese series, thanks for asking!

I Got a Rock

It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting a bit cooler, the leaves are starting to fall, and Halloween is just weeks away. For many, this means candy. Lots and lots of candy.

There is a scene from the War of the Roses, during which Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner (the parents) are having an argument about the issue of overindulgence vs. deprivation on the topic of children and sweets. The Mom believes that allowing the children as much candy as they would like will keep them from overindulging, therefore they will end up trim and healthy. The next scene shows us two obese children. You’ve heard it said before, but it’s still a good rule. Moderation is key.

Come Halloween, our kids will be hitting the streets and collecting all kinds of loot. At the end of the Trick or Treating festivities, there are some parents who will allow their kids one piece of candy and confiscate the rest. Other parents may allow their kids to have unlimited access to their goodie bucket. Again – everything in moderation. We usually let the kids have fun counting and sorting (and eliminating the unsafe items), before choosing a few pieces to eat. The candy bucket then goes out of reach. Over the next few nights, we hand out a piece here and a piece there. Out of sight is often out of mind. A couple weeks after Halloween, the candy bucket is not mentioned again.

If you have opted to make better choices this Halloween in terms of what candy you will hand out to kids that knock on your door October 31st, you don’t have to be the parent that hands out dental floss and raisins. Unless you really really want to. Non-candy options that are appreciated by kids (so I’m told) are: stickers, pencils, Halloween themed items, pretzels, fruit chews, and coins (hopefully for Unicef). If you do decide to hand out candy, but want to keep the parental temptation to a minimum, best choices are: dark chocolate, sugar free gum, lollipops, mini candy bars (not full size), and candy that does not include caramel, nuts or nougat. Personally, I wait until the day before Halloween to buy my candy so it’s not sitting around calling my name. I also tend to buy things that are not that tempting to me. There will plenty of chocolate coming my way at the end of the night – I don’t need any extras. Another thing we always do on Halloween is make sure that the kids eat a regular dinner before they head out. Trick or treating on an empty stomach is probably not the best idea.

So parents – let the kids have their fun, keep them safe, and remind them to say “thank you”. Happy Halloween!

If you are interested in finding out more about trick or treating for Unicef, click here:  http://youth.unicefusa.org/trickortreat/