Hallowe'en and H1N1-a bad combo

[fiveallmineblog]

 

I love Hallowe'en for the costumes and the excitement, but I hate my kids having so much candy.  As a general rule on a regular day, they have very limited amounts of sugar.  Hallowe'en and candy go hand in hand, so I know and expect that they will get all sugared up and eat way more than usual and that's okay normally because it's a special day.  But with H1N1 lurking everywhere, and two children passing away from it suddenly and unexpectedly in a nearby city, my hubby and I are nervous.  Hallowe'en already goes against the most basic things we teach our children-don't take candy from strangers and don't talk to strangers etc, but now we could potentially be receiving candy from people who are sick, or may be sick and don't even know.  My youngest daughter test positive for H1N1 in the spring and all my kids were ill but were never tested so we don't know for sure if they had it or some other virus. 

I admit I am a bit of a germophobe, and if we are out somewhere without a sink handy we use hand sanitizer.  But I am trying to figure out a way to get my kids treats away from them without any fuss.  My hubby offered to buy their Hallowe'en loot for $20 but the kids are not going for it. I can't get passed the fact that the candy wrappers could have germs on it and when the kids handle and open it, it is transferred to their hands and then their mouths.  I'm thinking we could put their bags away for a few days, long enough so the germs would die and then let them have it back?  Any other ideas?  I don't want to ruin Hallowe'en for the kids but is it worth potentially getting ill with a dangerous illness?   

[sati769leigh]

Oct. 30, 2009 at 3:16 PM

are your kids in school? they are much more likely to get sick from going to school and catching the flu or H1N1 than they are trick or treating.

i have lysol wipes. i am wiping down the bag and the candy its the best i can do