I like the days after halloween. I get lots of sweets to eat!
Whilst we have our issues with the kids, especially Mr Max who takes the word ‘no’ as a red rag to a particularly stubborn bull, I must say that when it comes to Halloween candy, Gesa’s parenting skills worked a treat, so to speak.
After returning with a grand, supersized American Halloween Haul of chocolate and candy, the rules were explained. We laid out everything they had, let them say what they liked and then divided that evenly. What they didn’t like goes into another bowl. Score 1 for Daddy. The day after Halloween is a free for all, they can eat as much as they like as long as they still eat a normal breakfast, lunch and dinner. After that, they can have two treats a day until their bowls are empty.
They wake up and tuck in, a few chocolates disappearing before breakfast. Max eats some, but not all of his breakfast. Well, Max, if you don’t finish your breakfast, then your Halloween treats are put away until tomorrow.
‘That’s fine, Mummy, I don’t want any more anyway.’ And sure enough, he doesn’t mention it again until the next day.
Issie lasts till lunchtime before following her brother’s lead. With permission to pig out, they both walked away from the trough of their own accord. That worked pretty well.
Daddy, on the other hand, has been warned off the chocolate by Mummy and is now forced to trawl though the bowl of dubious candy to try and find edible titbits.