It’s Halloween time! Little ghosts, goblins, Darth Vaders and princesses are gearing up for a night of fun and surprises. That means it’s a great time to give some tips to parents on how to make sure Halloween provides the best experience possible for everyone.
One of the best things you can do is feed your kids before they run out the door to trick-or-treat. By planning ahead and making peanut butter sandwiches — and also adding a glass of milk and carrot sticks or fruit — you can get a quick meal on the table before they even put on costumes. Also, be sure your kids are eating all their meals throughout the day, so they won’t be as tempted to fill up on candy at night. And make sure that you’re eating healthy, nutritious meals throughout the day as well!
Halloween can be a great time to help reinforce good manners with your children. At dinner, you can talk about polite Halloween behaviors such as waiting for the treat to be given (instead of grabbing candy from the neighbors) or deciding what the family will do with the candy once it’s all collected. It also might be good to talk about giving away candy to others who didn’t get to trick-or-treat.
If you’re looking for an excellent night to go out and walk, Halloween is usually a perfect opportunity. Go out with your kids and enjoy the night with them. This will provide good exercise for everyone — and don’t forget there are lots of other nights throughout the year that are great for an evening stroll, too!
Unfortunately, Halloween is often a time of year where people start to get less active and tend to eat more. This is because the weather is getting cold, and because there are more holidays right around the corner. Having a bunch of extra candy sitting around the house doesn’t tend to help — so after Halloween has passed, consider giving candy away or even throwing it out if you’re feeling tempted.
You can help other kids have a healthier Halloween, too. Consider handing out pencils, stickers, erasers or another alternative to candy. If you do want to hand out candy, think about buying it the day of Halloween instead of before. Having it sit around the house can make it tempting to eat, and you definitely don’t want to have to go back to the store for more.
When your kids arrive home from a night of trick-or-treating, make sure they don’t eat all the candy at once. Dole out a few pieces each day, and make sure you don’t eat too much yourself. If you’re having trouble with self-control, take the extra candy to the office and share it with your coworkers.
Halloween should always be a great time filled with fun and excitement. Just remember that your kids are looking to you to set a good example, and that you should always put their good health and safety first.
If you want more information about how to keep your kids safe and healthy, be sure to check out our blog for regularly updated content.
