HELP! It’s Halloween!

SUGAR, SUGAR, EVERYWHERE, and not a drop (of WATER) to drink…

What’s a Mother and Father to do when they have no plan for their children Halloween night?  LOOK OUT!

When the excitement of costumes and candy wears off and the sugar rush is over –  then come the TEARS, the WHINING, the FIGHTING over who got MORE CANDY, and NO SLEEP for the WEARY (kids or parents).  

Don’t ‘croak’! Mistakes can be a good teacher… of what NOT to do next time. Like that saying, “Experience is what you get – just AFTER you needed it!”

I had lots of experience in this, because when my kids were little I did it the wrong way many times, until I figured out a PLAN! 

I finally figured out some rules that worked for me. Adjust them to suit your needs.  Here they are:

SET UP RULES BEFORE TRICK-OR-TREATING. MAKE SURE EVERYONE IN THE FAMILY KNOWS WHAT TO EXPECT BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE.

1: There will be NO eating of candy while Trick-or-Treating without asking mom or dad (or whomever is in charge with you), first. (This is to make sure they are not eating something bad for them, as well as too much.)

2: Bring along water for everyone to drink while you’re walking through the neighborhood.  (The body’s first reaction to dehydration is STRESS)

3: Whoever is in charge WILL inspect ALL CANDY upon returning to the home to remove whatever they feel is not safe to eat and will have the last word as to how much is eaten at that time.  (For my own kids, I would only allow the equivalent of one candy bar at night, knowing the sugar highs and subsequent lows would cause mayhem for hours.) 

4: Whoever is in charge will oversee when and how to dole out candies after inspecting them. At first this may seem MEAN and CRUEL, but assure them you will be fair.

If you make the rules strict at first, and let the kids know YOU ARE IN CHARGE, then you can bend the rules a bit as needed, and show how merciful and ‘sweet’ you can be when you allow for any adjustments after that!

When done Trick-or-Treating, give everyone a BONUS GOOD MARK on their Behavior Chart for following the rules!

(NOTE: Get FREE Illustrated Behavior charts HERE!) 

 

Incidentally! SOME GREAT IDEAS for those with children on the AUTISM SPECTRUM – SOME GREAT TIPS HERE: https://www.autismspeaks.org/blog/2015/10/27/halloween-tips-and-projects-our-children-autism-enjoy? 

DON’T FORGET TO HAVE FUN!