Eye Opener

This halloween is an eye-opener, to all the stuff we let "slide" and all the poisons we let enter our children's bodies "just this once." One of my daughters can't have chocolate. It's OBVIOUS when she does. The other day we went to a trunk-or-treat and the kid is saying to people "Um, can you show me which ones don't have chocolate?" I like that, that she's not trying to get away with anything. But then, we get a crapload of corn syrup and even "healthy snacks" of pretzels or cheese and crackers=partially hydrogenated oils. I pick up a package of sweet tarts, maybe Airi can have one of those. . . they aren't even FOOD!! I thought candy contained AT LEAST corn syrup, if not sugar. These things are made from three unpronouncable chemicals and two dyes.

My other kid can't have corn, no corn syrup, which means, since she's a nursling, none for mom either. I've been able to tell with even the slightest indiscretion of ONE piece of licorice. I suspect she also has a sensitivity to egg (not through me, but if she eats it) and cheese specifically, not all dairy, but cow's milk cheese). Almost ALL candy is made with corn syrup, inorganic anyway.

And then, sadly, this just makes me think and feel that SUGAR. . . real live, actual sugar, is actually a healthy alternative to what we're being given. SO. . . I think this may be the beginning of striking a deal with my kids. I want them to get dressed up and go trick-or-treating. I want that to be fun. And maybe in the future, Alani won't be so behaviorally sensitive to chocolate and Airi might not even have a corn allergy, but the amount of crap in the stuff being given out, makes me sad and a little ill actually. I'm going to have to inform them and hope that we can make some good decisions together. I'm thinking, go door-to-door, gather what you want, and then mom and dad will trade you PIECE FOR PIECE with organic alternatives. That's a bit pricey, when it's supposed to be a holiday where our kids bring home TONS OF FREE SWEET LOOT that we all get to enjoy together, but it is beginning to make my skin crawl when I think about allowing them to eat it.