But I needed motivation to start writing again. So I'm taking up the NaBloPoMo challenge. With my track record of late though it more likely to be the NaBloPoEv3rdWe challenge...which would be National Blog Posting Every 3rd Week!
So, what does someone write about on the first day of November? Their adorable kids on Halloween and the whirling sugar-addicted dervishes they turn into the very next day, of course.
I had grand aspirations for what we would do with all the candy the boys got from trick-or-treating. I even started a blog post in September offering my readers suggestions for donating it, trading it in, leaving it for the Halloween fairy and doing science experiments with it. What is it they say about the best laid plans? The post never got finished and I never even followed through on the suggestions myself.
Today we tried the "eat all you want whenever you want" method for the second year in a row. For one day only we dump all Jack and Logan's candy in a huge bowl and set it on their little table. The only rule is that they are to sit on the chairs at the table to eat the candy. They don't have to ask if they can have something. They are allowed to eat whatever whenever for the whole day.
Last year this method worked great. They would take one lick of a lollipop and move on to try another flavor. They quickly realized that they didn't like the gummy body parts and tossed those in the trash. They liked the packages with multiple pieces of candy (M&Ms, Skittles, Nerds, etc.) and would open packages and dump them with other candies in small bowls and use their fingers to mix the different kinds together barely consuming any of it. I don't think they ever finished a whole piece of candy last year.
In the end, I considered it a success because though they may have eaten a ton of sugar in one day, they consumed way less than if I had doled one or two pieces out over the course of a month or two. In that scenario, they would have eaten those nasty gummy body parts because they would have been their one and only treat for the day. They would have finished each and every lollipop even if they thought there might be a better flavor out there. They would have eaten every package of M&Ms, Skittles and Nerds instead of being hypnotized by the bright colors and different sizes mixing together.
Today, the boys consumed way more candy than they did last year and there were way more tantrums than last year. I better get a new plan for next year. The only good thing is that all the candy will be gone at the end of the night and I didn't have to listen to my boys whine all day that they just wanted to eat one piece more.
We used to allow them to do that too on the night of Halloween. They'd sit there and eat as much as they wanted until bedtime.
ReplyDeleteThen every day after that, they were allowed 5 pieces of candy for dessert after dinner and they could pick which ones they wanted.
By day 5, nothing good was left and the magic was over. By day 10, I could throw it all out.
The only problem we've had so far this year, is sweet souled Jillian driving us insane in insisting that she must give her candy to us, that she picked such and such just for us, forcing us to take it, eat it, or try to explain to her that we really, really don't want it. She means well, but the boys have HAD IT!
ReplyDeleteShe's not getting it. The battle continues...
Whatever you do, don't send it to my house! I don't think we'll ever get rid of of it all. I'm determined not to eat it. I doubt I could stuff the turkey with it, and giving it as a xmas gift sound ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI am also doing the post every day for a month thing and i can't remember how to write the name of it! My kids - thankfully - haven't been candy hogs this year, now me on the other hand..that's a whole different story!
ReplyDeletemaybe I should try that. My kids are forever eyeballing it. Ugh. Glad you are taking this challenge. You have been missed.
ReplyDeleteWe don't really have a rule...but I can tell when they've had enough! And then of course...my master plan is that they don't eat all the good stuff so I can eat it when they go to bed! :) Alex and Emily usually don't even eat as much as I do! Sad...I have less self-control!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you on again! Who ever knew there was a challenge out there like that...oh...I guess you knew. Look forward to hearing more from you. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou are such a smarty-pants... what a great idea! I'm putting that one away in my memory bank for possible future use. :)
ReplyDeleteBlog everyday?? Oh my. I know I'd fail that challenge!
ReplyDeleteAren't you the nice mom for letting your boys have free access to candy? Mine get one piece after lunch and dinner. So yes, it lasts for months! I finally ditch it around Christmas time when new things arrive.
Or, I eat it so it disappears faster!
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