UNITED STATES—Halloween is now far beyond us, and many Americans are beginning to prepare for Thanksgiving amongst other chaos for the fall. There is one piece of business we still have to deal with: all that Halloween candy. Some might think it’s no big deal, but it is. Many kiddies are bursting with joy because they were delivered a bundle and I mean a bundle of candy while trick-or-treating or visiting parties. As a result, many parents are probably tearing their hair out with thoughts on what to do with all those sugary sweets.

Kids think because they have gathered all that candy they have the freedom to eat as much as they want, but we all know that will soon haunt them. Why? All that sugar and chocolate will lead to tummy aches. Kids sometimes don’t realize when enough is enough. It might be fun-size pieces of candy, but if you eat 3-4 pieces it’s like eating a regular size candy bar or bag of candy. We all know candy is loaded with sugar, so do we really want to place our kids in a situation where they overindulge in treats that take a toll on their health?

Of course not, but what is a parent to do? You cannot just take that bucket or bag of candy and tell the kid nope. You’ll be in for a battle that will be nearly impossible to gain victory. Kids are not idiots and you will not hear the end of it. However, there are ways to bargain with your kids. How so? Think about the things that children tend to like beyond candy. Hmm, I can think of two things: money and toys. For those kids that are of a certain age, they understand money, they respect it, and that allows one the opportunity to negotiate.

You might have some savvy kids who might try to sell you candy per piece. That’s dicey and anything don’t fall the trap of a $1 per piece. If anything, think maybe a dime or quarter per piece of candy. You could take it a step further and try to bargain per the pound. Try to offer the kid an incentive that works in their favor America. With toys I think that is a given.

Tell the kid if they give you a portion or all of that candy that you will buy them that toy they’ve been eyeing for weeks. At the same time allow them to purchase TV time or even stay up an hour later if they sell a portion of that candy to you. Of course, you have to consider a budget or you’ll find yourself spending $300 instead of $30.

After you’ve found a way to take some of that candy away from your kids, it raises another question; what to do with the candy? Take it to your local dentist to donate, as many send the treats to troops serving our country overseas or you could donate it to a homeless shelter. There are ways to get rid of that candy, and it doesn’t involve you or the kids eating all of it.