Sugarless Halloween fun

Here we are, the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe. How about that witch in the work boots? My daughter Casey made the lion's mane when she was in high school -- using strands from a new mop.

I used to wonder, “Why don’t kids come to our house on Halloween?”

My kids explained: “Because you gave out raisins and apples!”

This year I’m giving out spider rings, and pencils and styrofoam airplanes with Halloween themes.

IF any kids come.

This year, I’m going to dress as a witch, hide behind a small opening above the garage door, and call down, “Hey my little pretties, what are you doing down there?”

It will terrify the toddlers and thrill the older kids, even if they know it’s coming, year after year. Halloween is one night of the year you just don’t know what’s going to happen.

Then, there’s the conundrum of how to manage the candy.

My theory was to let them binge on Oct. 31, then thoroughly brush their teeth. I skimmed off some excess booty, hid it in the freezer for special occasions later, and let them manage the rest. They’d get sick of it and lose interest. That’s called moderation.

Some families don’t know about moderation and one-night binges.  Whole families waddle along, sipping sugared drinks, under threat of developing diabetes. The CDC predicts one-third of adults could have diabetes by 2050, and higher rates among minorities.

Halloween is a one-night blitz. What counts are their eating and exercise habits the rest of the year.

Obesity puts children at higher risk to develop Type 2  diabetes. New research shows a father’s diet can impact the risk of diabetes. By the way, more men than women are overweight. This is one thing we can’t blame on mothers!

I’m sticking with non-sugar treats on Halloween. I’ll camp out upstairs and have some non-chocolate fun. Maybe they’ll stop by, even for pencils.

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Tags: childhood diabetes, diabetes, Halloween

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