Do most people really make their kids get rid of most of their Halloween candy
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Anonymous
Wait what?? 2 year olds don’t remember. We hid our kids bucket after 2 days because candy tantrums were starting. He’s 2, we let him have a few pieces on Halloween and one piece the next day with lunch. He has zero impulse control and would definitely not self regulate candy, no idea when he will be old enough that we can just let him go for it, but he definitely forgot about it once it was out of sight. |
Anonymous
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6yo and I sorted. He doesn't love most of the chocolate stuff (snickers, twix, etc) but I do, so put all that in the freezer. Might chop it up and put into cookies/brownies. Another category was stuff none of us like (mounds, almond joy, twizzlers) - those went in the trash because I do not have time. Then he's left with his faves, which are lollipops, skittles, gummie bears, sour patch, starburst, etc. These bins are up in a cabinet, he gets a couple at a time, and yes he will forget and I can make it disappear.
When I was a child I wanted "Sugar Daddies" -- remember those? My mother did NOT want me to have them. |
Anonymous
So…just a handful or so disappears at a time until it’s gone. Or are your 2 year olds counting and remembering the # of candies they have and keeping a record of it? |
Anonymous
| My kids get a candy after dinner for a week or so, also a small treat in their lunches. Then it tapers off and we use a large amount for gingerbread houses and holiday baking. There's a middle ground between letting your kids gorge on it all at once and throwing it away! |
Anonymous
| I throw out the cheap ones , will eat the good chocolate |
Anonymous
Yah, some will definitely remember even with the bucket out of sight. But I agree with the pp who makes it dissappear by the handfuls over time. |
Anonymous
That's effectively the same as throwing it all away, unless you weren't planning on giving then treats over the holidays? In either case, kid is getting less candy than the one who gorges and gets all the usual holiday treats. But yeah, this is what we do. 
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Anonymous
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We keep it and just snack on it for awhile. My 5 year old went to about 15 houses, if that. My 10 yr old had a much bigger haul and then the fun of trading among her friends. When we got home she said she mostly wanted to go trick-or-treating and trade candy but I could help myself to her loot. She also told me she tried to pick out / trade for my favorite but her friends didn’t like it so hadn’t generally picked it (Milk duds).
I was surprised at one home to see my 5 year old sorting through a dish and emerge thrilled with a glow in the dark bracelet. Of course that went in the trash after the evening too. |
Anonymous
| The problem is that parents all seem to be competing to be the fun cool neighbor and are giving out enormous amounts of candy these days. So many full size bars this year too. So yeah I can’t let my young kids eat that much! |
Anonymous
My kids always remembered whenever they had candy or any treats or any little prizes from the dentist or whatever--they would never forget about the Halloween candy if we just got rid of it all at once! even from a very young age! haha But that said, with very young kids you can definitely do as PP suggested and just get rid of a couple handfuls of candy at a time so that it is gone faster. I wouldn't try that w/ my 7 year old though. he actually sorts and counts and keeps track of his candy ha. |
Anonymous
| I admit I wish my kids would forget about their candy after a few days but that never happens!! If they have 500 pieces they would eat it for 500 days until it’s gone, lol. But their dad and I eat a lot of it and bring some to work. I don’t make them pick a certain amount and discard the rest, like I did when they were small (they’re teens now). They also self-regulate a lot better now than they used to. |
Anonymous
| No. We've never gotten rid of it. DC eats it for the first few days, and then it sits in a bag wherever he put it until I remember to toss it a few months later. |
Anonymous
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I buy candy AND Teal Pumpkin (toys) stuff and have found in the last 3 years that more kids go for the toys - which this year was glow stick bracelets or small playdo containers. I don't spend much $ - the bag of 100 glow bracelets was $10 and I still have about 50% left, and the playdo comes in those multi-pack kits. In years past I've had small bubble containers, halloween pencils, and whatever else Target has in that aisle.
For the teenagers I don't offer both bowls, assuming they'll go for candy, but for all the younger kids I offer both and find that the kids don't always go for candy. It's crazy to see 10 year olds choose playdo and glow in the dark bracelets! |
Anonymous
My older DC forgot at 2, even 3. Not the case with DC #2, probably in part because they have an older sibling to remind them! They are still easier to fool with the take-a-bit-out-each-day trick though. |
Anonymous
Or you could just buy cheaper candy or not participate..... |