Traditionally an American tradition that the rest of the world only experienced through films, Halloween has well and truly wormed its way into New Zealand culture over the last decade. Now, each year on October 31, children all over Auckland don adorable and, at times, disturbing costumes and drag their reluctant parents door-to-door. Hours, and many ‘trick-or-treats' later, those pumpkin buckets are filled with a seriously impressive haul of sweets – or if you are the parent, a terrifyingly amount of sugar. Sugar affects kids in different ways, some are really susceptible to hyperactivity and crashes while others seem largely unaffected, whichever side of the coin your child falls however, one thing that is not variable is the fact that too much sugar is not good for them. Halloween is just one night, but what about the other 364 days? Here are some tips for parents, that might help kids to foster a healthier long-term relationship with sugar:
Remind them each time that sweets are a sometimes food, but be careful not to label them a treat as this gives the idea that sweet foods are something, we reward ourselves with.
