The time is here. The pastels, the baskets, the dresses, the egg hunts, and yes, the CANDY! In my case, lots of it. My father purchases an annual Easter basket for my son. ( I gave up buying one years ago- no mummy, nor bunny nor mythical character of any kind can compete with the likes of this grandpa on a spoiling spree… more on THAT later).
If I am being honest here, I cannot call it an Easter basket, in truth, it is an Easter bucket…of sugar- and tattoos, (thanks dad!) plastic toys, puzzles, etc. In an effort to combat the inevitable “sweetness” of the sugar crash, I have learned a few tricks over the years to cope.
[dropcap]Hide It [/dropcap]We all know the saying, ” out of sight, out of mind.” In most cases, it really is true. There is nothing more appealing to a wee one than the sight of a brightly colored candy bowl. Lead them not to temptation.
[dropcap]Give It Away [/dropcap]I let my son pick out his favorite items to keep for himself. We then pick some items to share with friends and family. Anything else, I take to work and put in the lounge. Disappears in minutes!
[dropcap]Avoid the Worst Offender[/dropcap]The beloved jelly bean is one of the most sugar loaded of all Easter candies. If possible, limit these gooey treats and opt for something with a few less grams of sugar.
[dropcap]Focus on Fun, Not Food[/dropcap]Most Easter baskets offer something that drives an activity. Blow bubbles, do a puzzle, use that sidewalk chalk. Spend time highlighting the fun as a treat, rather than the sweets.
[dropcap] Teach Moderation[/dropcap] This is my favorite tip! At my house we read food labels. Yes, even the children. Learning the importance of ingredients and serving size can never start too early. We have an Easter dish that I use to sort candy servings. When we want something sweet, we pick ONE treat. My son has learned the routine at this point, but you may want to supervise if you think your little one will end up with sticky fingers!
Focus on fun is excellent advice!
My son is only 1, so we didn’t do any candy at all this year. My theory is – the kids will always have opportunities for candy, treats, and goods elsewhere so let’s not focus on those at home. Hoping to favor experiences over things for all holidays, including birthdays, as we grow as a family. NO clue if that’ll pan out, but I am setting out with intentions for experiences to be our traditions.
Currently, my hubby and I go for an annual ‘anniversary bike & brew.’ Where we bike and have a beer at a few different places instead of a nice formal dinner out. It’s our thing, we are weird. Also, we do family hikes on birthdays – birthday person chooses where. Dad and I go on a super early morning hike for Father’s Day. And on Mother’s Day, mom and I run our own annual 5K (just the two of us – but we make shirts!!) then get a sweaty bite to eat to refuel after.
We saw a big family playing whiffleball for Easter in our neighborhood, all the ages were involved and THAT looked like a nice afternoon activity. I’m not denying a Reese’s peanut butter egg if it comes my way, but at least a game of whiffleball can help burn it off, right?
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