Avoiding the Halloween Sugar Rush

The Halloween sugar rush: parents everywhere have experienced this problem. Your little ones come home with their baskets full of sugar and chocolate, begging to devour every last piece. You let them have a few before sending them off to bed, knowing that the days and weeks to come will still be filled with candy.

Halloween doesn't have to be that way. As a mom of a 10 year old boy with ADHD, I have experienced what too much sugar can do. While I enjoy taking him out to Trick or Treat, I dread the constant pestering for all the sweets long after Halloween is over. Through the years, I have seen some very simple and creative alternatives to candy.

Stickers: This is probably my favorite treat that you can't eat. Besides buying them pre-made, there are free stickers online you can print out. You can find them with or without a Halloween theme. All you need to do is buy the special sticker paper. Also, it's great if you get more Trick or Treaters than expected. Instead of turning kids away or running to the store, you can always print more out. Here's a good site: http://www.stickersandcharts.com/

Raisins or Other Unsweetened Dry Fruit: Already packaged single servings are inexpensive and easy to find at any grocery store.

Crayons and Pencils: You can buy packages of 2 to 4 crayons or you can break up a bigger box of crayons and package them yourself with a small Halloween party bag. Halloween themed pencils are available at numerous stores like Target and AC Moore.

Cash: Coins in this case. A few nickels, dimes and maybe a quarter here and there. Coins are a readily available substitute for candy that kids can put in their piggy banks. Please, no musty old pennies like I received for Halloween when I was a kid.

Small Toys: There are a wide variety of small toys. Things like spider rings, plastic skeletons, small yo-yo's, and fake tattoos are a big hit with kids. Not only are they are different type of treat, kids can be entertained by them much longer then a candy bar. My son once received cat and skull stencils he enjoyed tracing long after Halloween ended. You can buy them in any party store.

Trick or Treating doesn't have to be all about chocolate and sticky tooth-rotting candy. There are many fun, inexpensive, and simple substitutes. The kids and especially the parents will thank you.