Drugs and Halloween: Information every parent should know!

As parents we are all more than aware of the infamous holiday that is just around the corner. The one filled with wrapped treats and cute costumes galore. Yes, I am talking about Halloween. However, this holiday is not always a great time for parents because it can bring with it a lot of fear due to many of the issues we currently face in our society. Meaning, we want our children to have fun without also ending up with some harmful if not deadly in their treat bag. Overall, as parents we just want to protect our children as best as we can so I have written this article in attempt to provide some information to help you do that.

Often I say my education is a gift and a curse because I have knowledge about those things “that go bump in the night” and at times, it’s not always fun to know it. However, in this case, I am glad I know certain things and can in turn pass it along to other parents. Now, it’s pretty well known that in the mid-80’s, we had to start worrying about razor blades in apples and cyanide being placed in food. Unfortunately with the continued development of technology, the internet, and resources, we have also increased not only our level of exposure, but also the level of autonomy.

I will start off saying that as much as the media likes to feed the masses’ level of panic, there has not been any cases of people in the United States INTENTIONALLY giving children candy laced with drugs. With that being said, there are NUMEROUS food and candy products out there that are laced with drugs, such as Marijuana and obviously this has only increased with the legalization of marijuana in certain states. Now many parents might say, “Oh I know what pot smells like, I would know if my child has it”. Well…no you wouldn’t because once pot has been infused into a food product, there is no way to tell it’s in there until AFTER the effects start happening, BUT all food products sold by a dispensary are required by law to be labeled. Parents also need to know that there have been cases of people lacing things such as Smarties with LCD and there have even been reports of flavored Meth and Heroin circulating through the U.S. Teenagers have even found a way around “suspicious prescription drug use” by melting down hard candy, mixing in crushed up prescription pills, then letting it harden. There is also THOUSANDS of type’s Ecstasy available on the streets that all contain child friendly pictures and colors.

So what do we do? Well the best offense is a good defense and what parents can do is be very mindful and aware. First and foremost, it’s a great idea to only take your child(ren) to areas in which you know the people. If that is not possible, search in your local town for churches, businesses, other organizations that are doing city wide trick or treating. Most everyone does this now just for the safety of the children and it will always be a better option that taking your child to a stranger’s home. Go through EVERYTHING in your child’s bag. Take out ANYTHING that does not have a wrapper, looks like it has been rewrapped, and/or is not in the original shape that we have come to know for most candy available. If you find anything suspicious, feel it could harmful, or know for sure it’s something harmful, DO NOT throw it out! Turn it in to your local authorities because they will be able to not only dispense of it properly, they may be able to find where it’s coming from which is helpful if someone is giving kids drugs intentionally. Personally, I would also not allow my kids to have Smarties at all, simply because they are too easy to rewrap and no one is of the wiser. While it should not have to be said, I am going to say it anyway… DO NOT let your child have ANY food items, AT ALL!!! That includes brownies, fruit, food of any kind. It’s just not worth the possible risk.
Like I said in the beginning, there are several “panic fires” that are being stoked by the press with no evidence to back them up, but as I also stated, it’s always better to be safe than sorry because who knows what could accidently end up in a person candy dish! Therefore it’s just good information to get out there! I wish everyone the best of holidays and STAY SAFE!

"Suggestions For Quality Family Time"

It's obvious that with summer drawing to a close and kids returning to school, there are fewer opportunities for quality family time. Another downside to school going back is that the overall family schedule becomes overloaded. This unfortunately can lead to parents getting in a habit of choosing those “go to” that are easier on their time constraints and as well all know, “go-to” typically translates into something involving the TV or electronics.

Therefore, in an effort to support family unity as well as be mindful of the "beat the clock" mindset, I have created a list of 45 activities families can do together. Keep in mind, not everyone will have access to every suggestion, however, I have tried to create a fairly comprehensive list with a variety of activities that will meet budget and time requirements. So I think everyone will be able to find something that will be perfect for them.

1. Go for a bike ride, regardless of distance.
2. Go see a play.
3. Go to the gym together.
4. Fold laundry (I know this seems like a bad idea, but it really can be turned into a fun activity and helpful at the same time)
5. Plant a garden or a potted plant.
6. Make a meal together.
7. Play a sport together and/or teach each other how to play.
8. Have a game night.
9. Go for a walk.
10. Have a picnic on the beach or in the park. You can pick up sea shells, go swimming, walk the dogs, play games outside, etc.
11. Paint a room in your house or re-do a room
12. Everyone can work on a puzzle together.
13. Read a book together. Again, I know this sounds odd, but my husband and I read with our kids every day. Your kids are what you teach them to be and if you want them to be excited about reading, you have to show them how.
14. Drag out all those pictures and put together a photo album.
15. Sit outside and watch the sunset
16. Try something completely new like Yoga, kickboxing, zip lining, horseback riding. There are many things offered at your local community center that are very inexpensive and sometimes free.
17. Go to the zoo.
18. Plan a special day trip to a location nearby.
19. Take dancing lessons together or just be silly and dance in your own your living room.
20. Take in a baseball game together. Many towns have a minor league baseball team and you can get tickets for about $5 (give or take).
21. You can do something that offers a little more family completion such as going bowling, roller blading, fishing, miniature golf, or hiking.
22. Go to open houses. My family does this just to get out of the house and see what we might like to do to ours.
23. Go to a coffee shop or a book store and just chill out.
24. Run/walk a marathon together.
25. Volunteer as a family.
26. Try out a flea market.
27. Sit by the fire and just talk.
28. Go camping, even if it's just in the front yard.
29. Play Frisbee
30. When it's raining, go play!
31. Try a fondue night or any new food/meal. You can even make it a weekly thing.
32. Make s’mores. If you don't have a fireplace, you can do what my family does, makes "ghetto s’mores". Take a terracotta ceramic pot, put tinfoil inside, fill it with coals, put some marshmallow on skewer sticks, and there you go!
33. Make a desert from scratch.
34. Head to a car dealer and test drive cars you’ve been dying to check out. This can be useful and fun. It's another way to get out of the house and it's a way to start teaching your kids about budgeting in an effort to save for something you really want.
35. Try out a Farmers Market
36. Make a family tree.
37. Head to a local museum
38. Make sundaes.
39. Go to an amusement park or fair.
40. Create something like a blanket fort, pillow fortress, LEGO cave, etc!
41. Have your kids’ help you create a "family goals" board showing trips you would like to take or things you would like to have one day, like that new car!
42. Clean out and organize the garage, closets, basement, or attic
43. Have a scavenger hunt!
44. Take one large vacations such white water rafting, water parks, theme parks, etc. Try not to make these larger trips frequent. When they are less frequent, it gives the kids something to really look forward to and in turn, enjoy that much more when they are able to go. It provides less opportunity to take it for granted.
45. Go swimming or just turn on the water in the yard, you can even have a water balloon/water gun fight!

I hope you enjoyed this list and also found several things to try out. Family time is so very important. Not only because it contributes to many of the necessary building blocks our children need, but also because it allows parents to take advantage of those opportunities that will not have once their children have families of their own!