So your kids have gorged out on Hallowe’en excess, what a Mexican grandmother friend once described to me passionately as “horror!” You may have too, sneaking in some extra junk when the kids weren’t looking. The thing is, there are still piles more of it in your house, especially if you over-estimated how much to buy for your own household to give. What’s a sugar-crazed post-Hallow’s Night family to do?
Here’s where the Switch Witch can fly in, if you choose. She’s been known as the Candy Fairy around these parts, although I prefer the rhyming moniker better now that I’ve heard of it (but it’s kind of too late). Whatever you call her, this ethereal creature can swoop into your lives and save you from your sugar high selves. Summon her, and in exchange for some quantity of candy mass, she will proffer a toy, book, or other coveted item.
In our house, these items have been books. If a child trades half of his candy, the Candy Fairy will gift him one book; if he trades a half of the half left, he’ll get a second book; if he trades another half still, he’ll get a third book. Theoretically, this could go on, but we’ve never gotten beyond the third trade. I was more than delighted with this last year, as by then, both of my (trick or treat age) kids had no more than 10-15 small pieces of candy each. Six quality books were ushered into our lives by Amazon the Candy Fairy, and all was well in the world.
I started this with my kids when they were young; my hunch is that, as with almost any good habit, it’s better to start early than late. However, it’s never too late to begin, and it’s always wise to keep an eye to changing the rules if necessary. For if, like someone’s hypothetical six year old son, your child declares “I’m not trading any of my candy. Fine, I won’t get a book!”, you might have to up the ante on the Candy Fairy, and she might have to work a little harder to get her sugar fix.
I’m not deterred though. I’ll find a way to rid ourselves of some of the Hallowe’en hyperglycemic horror, because all that poundage just can’t stay. Come hither, Candy Fairy, there is work to be done.
4 Mothers 