How Much is Too Much Candy?

Do you have this struggle in your house?  You take the kid trick-or-treating and then, you worry all night long that they are eating candy. . . and then, when the haul has been checked and sorted, what do you do?  Let them go after it or do you dole it out piece by piece?

When I was a kid, my candy was my candy and if it lasted 2 hours or 2 weeks, it was my decision.  Of course, when I graduated from college, I also weighed 405 lbs (no joke there).  Of course, it wasn't a once-a-year candy binge that did that, but I wonder if that freedom to eat what I want when I want did.

When Dillon and The Darin came into my life, Dillon was four and he had already been well trained that the candy he got on Halloween night was NOT his to grab and go, but would be parsed through and handed out on an as-requested basis.  That, of course, guaranteed that Dillon completely forgot he had candy in the high cabinet above the sink on about. . .um. . .November 2nd.

We've modified the strategy a little now that Dillon is ten.  On Halloween night, Dillon can eat all the candy he wants to eat.  We make sure we give him a really big dinner before we go out to collect the haul.

He can keep the candy in his room and, bless him, he still asks if he can have a piece.  After every major holiday, I go into the room and clear out the forgotten candy from the season before (just set free about a dozen baby chicks from Easter).

How does your family do it?  Do you have strict rules about the candy or do you let 'em at it?  Click on the Facebook link and let's talk candy!!