Top 5 Trick or Treat Candy Alternatives

With childhood obesity on the rise it's easy to see why some parents and caregivers and most dentists cringe at the idea of a pillowcase filled with chocolates, gummies and sours on Halloween. Candy may never completely be eliminated from this holiday, and as long as it is consumed in moderation by children who are getting enough exercise, practicing good oral hygiene and an otherwise balanced diet this mom doesn't want to take it out of the orange-and-black picture entirely. But with everyone from neighbors to local stores throwing handfuls of sweets at my kids I do like to offer alternative ideas to my children as well as the trick-or-treaters who seem to come in bus loads through our neighborhood.

There are also many children who have medical conditions, dietary restrictions and/or whose caregivers take a radical anti-sugar approach to life, so non-candy offerings can really help these little ones (and not-so-little ones) enjoy the holiday, too. Many times I see the ghouls and goblins on my doorstep getting even more excited about the non-candy treats I pass out than if I were to give them yet another pumpkin-shaped confection or lollipop. Here are my suggestions for the Top 5 Trick or Treat Candy Alternatives. Feel free to use my list to inspire you to come up with your own ideas.

Top 5 Trick or Treat Candy Alternatives

1. Trading Cards - whether it's good old-fashioned baseball cards or one of the current trendy card lines like Bakugan for boys or Bella Sera for girls, a pack of trading cards has a lot of possibilities inside that small package. Some trading card battle games even help kids practice math, memory and classification skills, which is certainly sweet. Small decks of playing cards or card games are also available in packs of party favors and offer long-term play value instead of a quick sugar rush.

2. Pencils - most school districts are struggling with budget cuts and lack of funding. Halloween or other themed pencils are inexpensive and can be used to add interest to long school days and even longer homework assignments - look for pencils decorated with cartoon characters, sparkly glitter, space aliens, sports teams and much more. Again, pencils can be bought in packages meant for party favors or even in bulk from party stores and office supply shops. Also in this category are small note pads, erasers, activity and coloring books and crayons.

3. Bubbles - you might think bubbles only appeal to the younger set but I've seen even tweens have a blast blowing these around and at each other. It's also a favorite pre-concert and nightclub activity, making tweens feel a bit like the big kids.

4. Temporary tattoos - you can find these in Halloween designs, superheroes, princesses, clever sayings and much more.

5. Stickers - kids love to cover themselves in these, which is why doctors, dentists and teachers always have them at the ready as rewards.

As you can see, you really do have many alternative choices instead of candy this treat-or-treat season - this list is only the beginning. Modeling clay, bracelets, glow sticks, stamps, bookmarks, key chains....the list just might be endless and is limited only by your imagination. Happy Halloween!

A Way With Words

The other night we watched Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy spoke to Jiminy Cricket, who blushed and got all flustered. Beloved Offspring #3 laughed at the screen, then turned to me and shared his amusement by observing, "He got in loved."

Earlier in the day an unfortunate squirrel met his end in the middle of our street. Someone had moved him to the side of the road, and Beloved Offspring #3 assisted me in laying him to rest in our trash can. Meanwhile Beloved Offspring #1 fretted about what would happen if the squirrel came back to life, and if zombies could somehow possibly be real. In another classic turn of phrase, Beloved Offspring #3 wiggled his fingers at his big brother and said in a scary voice, "dead squiiiiiirreeeeeel." Beloved Offspring #1 hid under a blanket. I took cover in the hallway so none of my brood would see me laughing.

Garden Update

Sadly, our pretty little garden got singed in the summer sun. So much for home-grown veggies this year!

Sins of the Mother

It is about six weeks before Beloved Offspring turns 8, and tonight he dropped his first F-Bomb. I blame myself and my Native New York mouth. But I still sent him to his room.

Rooting Memories

Between the rising cost of groceries and the long stretch of summer ahead of me, I decided it was time to start a vegetable garden. Most parenting gurus suggest getting kids involved with growing vegetables as a way to teach them about healthy eating choices, as well as a great way to learn about science and nature – all while getting some fresh air and exercise. That all sounded like a good deal to me, so I started plotting my garden plot.

This was not my first attempt at growing something. When my son was two years old many other mothers (and mothers-in-law) told me how much little boys loved to dig and that a garden would keep him busy and exploring for hours. That didn’t happen. Instead, he was off and running everywhere EXCEPT the garden area and I was usually chasing after him. That year all the gardening chores fell to my disgruntled husband.

I skipped the next year due to the arrival of our twins. I think I skipped the year after that as well – I don’t remember much from those doubly sleep-deprived days and nights. Last year we grew a lone tomato plant in a container, and it was somewhat of a success so I thought we were ready for a bigger project (but not too big).

I researched larger container gardens, hoping to avoid back spasms by avoiding too much digging. My first attempt, sunflowers grown on a pallet covered with newspaper and potting soil, were thwarted by my still-disgruntled husband. He didn’t like my placement and didn’t think it would work anyway. I did some more research.

My kids and I decided on a do-able goal of four crops, and then we re-purposed some wood from our pallet as our border. We tilled our four-by-four area (well, I tilled it while my kids played tag and hide-and-go-seek) and then re-tilled when my husband declared it wasn’t deep enough. I think my kids may have actually picked up a shovel or a hoe at some point, so I considered it a victory. After field trips to two different garden stores we had plants, seeds and organic gardening soil and hit the dirt. My oldest dug holes while my youngest carefully urged the plants out of their plastic pots and my daughter stood by with a miniature rake ready to finish the job. We even added some marigolds in the hopes of warding off some insects.

Although the prep work had taken me a few weeks and the actual time we all spent gardening together was only about ten minutes I was still thrilled with our success. My children and I actually worked together to put together a garden! Now every day or so during the summer we will head out before it gets too hot to weed, feed and water our plants as we work toward a harvest – I hope.

An Only child

In my Child Development class last night we were told to break up into groups based on birth order - oldest, middle or youngest. I was the only only child. How ironic.

Inner Thoughts of a Toddler

There is nothing more exciting on the entire playground than a swing. Don’t even bother me about the stupid slide, I’m swinging.

The most overrated word in the English language is “share.”

Someone else’s toy is always more fun – even if I have the same exact one at home.

Sometimes mommies need a time out, too.

Being stood up hurts, even if it’s just for a playdate.

No trip to the playground is complete without making at least one Sand Angel.

Mommy says sand is very hard to get out of toddler hair. Why would she want to get it out??

Sham-Wow ... WOW!

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Confessions of a Soccer Mom

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Confessions of a Toddler Mom

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How To Save on Prescriptions

As many Americans struggle in the current economy it’s time to look at ways to make our dollars go further, especially in the prescription medicine arena. Here are some tips to save some money while taking care of yourself.

Some Americans have been driven to extreme methods to afford their medications, such as traveling to Mexico or Canada to fill their prescriptions. While this may work for some, keep in mind that other countries have different regulating laws. There may be additional inactive ingredients or variations in the levels of active medication. But there are other ways to trim the amount you spend each month that don’t involve being bussed over the border.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR
Sadly, the insurance companies sometimes dictate which medicines will be covered. Be sure your doctor is writing a prescription for something that your plan will pay for. If you don’t have prescription insurance be sure to ask for the generic version of the medication and have it filled at a pharmacy that offers the lowest price.

Your doctor may also be able to help you by prescribing a longer or larger supply. For example, if you pay $10 per prescription and your doctor is providing you with a month’s supply, ask him or her to write the prescription for a 90-day supply. That will save you $80 a year on that one medication. If the doctor is writing a prescription for 30 tablets, ask if he or she will make it for 90 tablets. Are you willing to cut the tablets in half if it will save you money?

Always ask for samples. Doctors often have boxes to give out, but with all they have on their mind they may not offer this to every patient. But it never hurts to ask! Keep in mind that the samples will probably be the brand name medication, so be sure your doctor gives the pharmacy permission to fill your scrip with the generic version.

PRESCRIPTION ADVOCACY
Many pharmaceutical companies have advocacy programs to help consumers gain access to their products, but the paperwork can be complicated and the deadlines vary from brand to brand. Some states have prescription advocacy services to help residents bring the cost of medication down. There are also discount plans that have a prescription advocacy program available to their members. This is an excellent way to save a lot of money on a long-term or maintenance medication.

DISCOUNT PLANS AND CARDS
Some pharmacy chains have special plans for their loyal customers or for senior citizens. See if you qualify for some additional savings in this way. You can also check into a discount plan, which usually gives you a membership card for an annual or monthly fee. The card slashes the price of prescription medications when used at a participating pharmacy. This is a terrific strategy for people who are uninsured as the discount cards and plans are usually very affordable in comparison to insurance premiums.
This is also a great option if you find yourself falling into “the donut” – part of the year when you have maxed out your benefits or have gone over your plan’s limit and are expected to pay for everything out of pocket until the new calendar year begins.

MAIL ORDER
Many insurance plans and discount plans have pharmacies that will deliver medications directly to your home, usually at a huge savings. This is perfect for those maintenance medications that you want to have on hand in larger quantities to be sure your supply never runs out. This also saves you a trip to the pharmacy, which is an added convenience.
As our economy becomes more difficult to navigate people will come up with even more strategies for saving money on medications. Please always keep health and safety in mind as well as minding the laws of our great nation.

Pancake Puffs Are Fun and Yummy!

Last year I asked for a Pancake Puff pan for Mother’s Day. DH thought it would be another one of those gadgets that would take up space in our tiny, already overstocked kitchen. No Pancake Puff pan arrived and Mother’s Day came and went. Not only was I disappointed, my kids were totally crushed. My boys don’t need much persuasion to eat anything covered with maple syrup, but my daughter has an aversion to most solid foods. I have tinkered with my pancake “recipe” – which is actually pancake mix with added whole wheat flour and PediaSure instead of milk or water – and now she actually downs plates of pancakes, so surely the Pancake Puff would be all the more appealing. Not to mention all the other treats I could turn out for desserts and bake sales (no more tired rice cereal treats from our house!).

Then the holidays began to loom in the near future, and DH and the Beloved Offspring searched for the perfect gift for me. After many failed attempts he finally asked me what I wanted, and I jumped at the chance – A Pancake Puff! He was cornered, and I had him right where I wanted him!

On Christmas Day we welcomed the cast-iron Pancake Puff into our household, and the next morning we set about to make our first batch. I had secretly been doing research online, reading consumer reviews and comments, so I was prepared for the learning curve about how to flip them over just right, how long to heat the pan and how melted butter worked better than non-stick spray. I am a notoriously poor cook (must be all that recipe tinkering I am forced to do) but my little Pancake Puffs turned out great! And they got better and better the more I practiced my flipping technique.

I had family in town, so I whipped up a batch of cake puffs for dessert. They also got rave reviews, although I had no idea how very many puffs one little box of cake mix would make! I was shackled to the stove until all the batter had been puffed. But we have plenty of yummy, fluffy puffs to share with neighbors!

I mentioned my Pancake Puff to others, and soon we were swapping ideas and comparing results. I think maybe we have started a little cult. I was blown away at the idea of making corn bread puffs, while my egg-and-cheese puffs had everyone drooling with possibilities.

Bottom line – the Pancake Puff is fun! It pretty much works the way the ad says it will, and although we haven’t had any luck filling our puffs yet so far it’s been a big hit with my family and friends. I would say it was certainly worth the wait!

Happy New Year!

Here we are in 2009! Seems as if "change" is the word of the year, although to me change is what I count while trying to scrape together money for groceries.

But seriously, folks, this is the time of year when many of us try to overcome our bad habits and adopt new, healthier ones. Are you one of those people? When I was in Weight Watchers my meeting leader once told us that it takes 9 months to create a new life, so why would it take any less time to form a new habit? I tend to agree with her, although sadly bad habits seem to take hold immediately.

AmeriPlan has a great Online Wellness Program that will help you, whether you're trying to lose weight, quit smoking or exercise more. We have an entire panel of highly qualified physicians, exercise physiologists, nutritionists and dietitians who designed our unique programs that will provide guidelines and tracking of progress to help you achieve a healthier more balanced life. And best of all, it's included with our discount health benefits plans!

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