Halloween is considered one of the most fun and creative times of the year. Allowing your little ones to dress up as their favorite monster or video game character is only half of it, though. The other exciting part is going out and trick-or-treating! Parents, while going house to house and grabbing as much candy as possible is a fun and exciting time for your kids, it’s important you are aware of the candy they are receiving and how much of it they are actually eating. Before your kids head out on Halloween night, Rice Psychology Group wants to share a few possible suggestions on how to go about handling your kids’ candies.
Overindulging
When showered in Snickers, lollipops and candy corn, we just can’t help but dive in! The same goes with your kids. If they’ve collected a good amount of candy after their trick-or-treating adventure, you’ll probably find yourself wondering if you should allow them to consume it all. If your child is relatively young (toddler) then you’ll probably discourage eating too much candy.
One possible suggestion is the “age count”. If your child is four years old, allow them four pieces of candy, if he/she is five, then five pieces of candy, etc. If you feel these amounts are too much or too little, then by all means use your own discretion. And sometimes, depending on their age, it’s OK to leave it up to your kids. By doing this you’re telling them that you trust them and are allowing them to figure this out for themselves. You are also letting them know that sometimes it is okay to indulge.
With that said, please remember that you’re the parent and what you say goes!
Inspect
As we mentioned above, having your child eating treats given by strangers can have any parent’s red flag wave frantically. When you and your child arrive home from trick-or-treating, explain to them how it’s important to go through their collection and weed out any treats that look suspicious. Do this together, and if you spot candies that appear to have been opened and then closed or contain unfamiliar ingredients, don’t hesitate to toss them out. Teach your children to do this each year for their own safety. Also, be aware of what candy is appropriate for their age. Smaller children should not keep hard or large pieces of candy and you should always be around when they’re indulging, to prevent choking.
**Parents, please be aware that there is a new threat circling around and being distributed to kids this year. Rainbow fentanyl looks very similar to small pieces of candy and is being passed out to children in candy like wrappers. We have included a picture below for you to reference. We encourage all parents to keep an eye out for this dangerous substance as your kids collect candy this Halloween.**
Be the Best Parent You Can!
Having children is a blessing beyond words, and we understand that you’ll do anything to ensure that your little one is safe and happy. Whether it’s discussing how to stay safe during Halloween or covering issues that might be troubling them, we want to help you and your child’s relationship grow and remain strong. Contact Rice Psychology Group in Tampa today for more information on our services or to schedule your FREE, 10-min consultation.
