November 3, 2010

Candy Coma

Much to my husband's horror, I let my kids eat as much Halloween candy as they wanted on Monday.

For dinner, my husband and I ate chicken. My older children put chocolate bars on their plates and ate them with forks and knives.

"I can't watch this," my husband said, excusing himself from the table.

Yesterday, I set a timer for five minutes and told my kids that they could eat candy until the buzzer went off.

The spectacle that ensued bordered on the grotesque.

The carcasses:



This morning, everyone asked if they could play the timer game again. Always happy to oblige, I made a big pot of oatmeal and set the timer on the table.

The contestants' enthusiasm for the game waned considerably after that.

28 comments

I'm Just a Girl said...

Did any of them get sick? One Halloween I ate so much candy I threw up in my bedroom floor - while I was sleeping! I haven't ate that much candy since then.

Nikki said...

I let my kids do the same thing. However we skipped the plates and the forks. If I let them eat a whole lot of candy the day after they lose interest and stop nagging for just one more piece. In a few days I can throw the rest of the candy out and they will never know.

Paula said...

That's a great idea! A timer! That way my son, aka "The Candy Man", can have his fill and when time is up he can shut his hole about asking for "one more piece".

Brilliant I tell you, brilliant!

Mal said...

My mum said that whatever was left two days after Halloween went into a communal pot on the table, and she pawned it off on EVERYONE. Anyone who passed the driveway was tossed a piece.

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Donna said...

I love your method for getting rid of the candy as quickly as possible. I've done that some years and like it much better than when I try to ration their portions, cuz they're always sneaking.

Meg and Rob said...

That is brilliant, I should try that with my kids...

Greta said...

laughing at thecapitall's comment. :)

hebgengirl said...

my father, the dentist, recommends this style of candy-eating. we use a similar technique at our house. 3 days later, whatever's left gets snatched up by the halloween candy witch. the end result is that sticky sugary stuff stays on their teeth for fewer days & they OD & can't bear the sight of a fun-size anything for about a month!

Annie (Lady M) x said...

That was bloody well funny! I can't believe that they managed to get that much candy down their necks in five minutes!

karypics said...

Sure beats having each child ask for a single piece of candy every five minutes! Great idea!

Mrs.B said...

That is too funny! I love it!

eliana23 said...

Genius. I get all my parenting tips from you.

the thrifty ba said...

i always let the kids eat their candy until they cant anymore. the faster it is out of the house the better.

lishajeanne said...

That is genius! I usually let them eat as much as they want to get the sugar high over, in this case all weekend long. Then it "mysteriously" disappears the next day while they are at school.

Gina said...

Honestly, it's not a terrible idea. Get it over with, you know? They probably felt sick to their stomachs. Do it every year, and they'll start to realize that maybe candy meals aren't a great thing. Plus, I'd be happy to have the candy stash around here instantly decreased.

Yvette said...

My friend does this with the timer she calls it Candy Fest. She makes her kids clean her house up first. Everyone is happy to oblige because they get candy and she's happy to oblige because she has a clean house and no ones following her around asking for candy. I followed her example I was loving the really clean house. Seems my children will do just about anything for candy even clean toliets

Anonymous said...

jana- i did the same thing. my 4 year old had candy for breakfast lunch and snack, washed it down with cherry koolaide and had a diarhhea attack wheile strapped in his car seat by 415 pm. he asked me for a bath when we got home (after driving 'soiled" and aggitated - no me, him. while he was in the bath he promised to only eat healthy foods because the halloween candy made him sick. oh really?

Heather said...

Thank you. I seriously needed the laugh.
I may do that timer thing tonight and then throw away the rest of the candy.

Kendra said...

That is hilarious and genius!
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Kathie said...

When I was a kid my mother made tomato soup and grill cheese sandwiches for dinner. Then we were allowed to eat as much candy as we wanted! My mom was satisfied she had provided a nutritious meal and we ate the candy to our hearts content.

Janet said...

How funny, I do the same thing, the faster it's gone the happier I am... Only this year I told them after 1wk I was throwing it away.. The conversation between the 2 oldest is cracking me up... must eat it all and fast, don't want to waste it...

Beth said...

I always let me daughter stay up late on Halloween night and eat as much candy as she wants... which is actually never as much as I would expect. Some people think I'm crazy. My daugher thinks I'm awesome!! :)

The Blogging Mom said...

Yeah, I say just let them eat the candy so I don't have to look at it anymore!! I gain weight just staring at it.

Molly
www.thebloggingmom.com

Stef said...

We have been doing "candy binges" since sunday. I don't tell them how much time they have, though. They tear through it afraid they'll run out of time. It's awesome! The only negative I've found with the system is that afterwards my youngest daughter pretends she's a dog for hours. I guess for her sugar overload = turn into a canine.

Nancy said...

That is a great idea! I love all your posts!

Southern Queen of the Crazies said...

Too funny!

KK said...

Oh My Gosh! Too, funny. I also tried this one year. My husband had the same reaction. I told them they could eat as much candy as they wanted, assuming they would stop or get sick, but THEY NEVER STOPPED!