Halloween and the holiday season are an exciting time for parents and children alike. The wonder that you likely felt as a child during Halloween often disappears as you get older, only to reappear in your own young children. It’s a special day and a special season to build family traditions, but Halloween is also a day filled with temptations in the form of sugary treats and beverages. Good healthy habits often protect us from making poor decisions, but it’s also okay to splurge and enjoy some extra chocolate or a pumpkin spice latte. The important thing to remember is to have a plan in place so that when you are not feeling your best, it is easy to get back on track. Let’s take a look at some tips below to help you develop solid habits and have a great Halloween.
Develop a Walking Habit
Walking is amazing for your health and often forces you to slow down and observe your surroundings. During the fall season, life can get so busy with school and events that the changing of the leaves and the beauty of the season is often missed. Walking is also an amazing way to increase your heart rate, lose weight and have more energy during the day. If you have yet to develop a habit of walking, take a couple of weeks before Halloween arrives and walk 20 – 30 minutes a few times a week. Not only will this increase your sense of well being, but it will also allow you to keep up with your kids as they lead you all over the neighborhood in search of the best candy.
Agree to a Plan for Candy Consumption
It will be much easier to sit down with your children to make a plan before there is actually any candy in the house. To do this simply sit all of your children down and agree to the amount of candy they will be allowed to eat on Halloween and then for every day after that. There is no guarantee that your children won’t challenge you on how much candy they are allowed to eat, but it will at least give you something to reference back to. Deprivation also leads to temptation, so to be the example for your children shows them what it looks like to enjoy candy in moderation.
Develop a Map for Trick-or-Treating
A large part of handling the chaos during Halloween comes down to setting the expectations with your children early in the day. One example is making a map for the area they will be allowed to cover during trick-or-treating. Making a map from scratch and drawing out the route like a treasure map might also be a fun idea for a family craft. Once the agreed-upon area has been covered, your children are aware of the fact that candy hunting is about to come to an end.
Halloween is an amazing day, and it can be even more amazing if healthy habits are employed and expectations are set ahead of time. During the holiday season, if you ever feel like you are struggling with your energy levels or health in general, it may be time to schedule a chiropractic appointment. Give our experienced team a call today!