The Scariest Day of the Year

It's hard to believe but the leaves are already changing and it means Halloween is right around the corner.

I like to call this "The Scariest Day of the Year." The only problem is it's the treats that I'm afraid of and not the tricks!

I am a big advocate of planning ahead to effectively manage food allergies. This leaves the "flying by the seat of your pants" part out. That just doesn't work with food allergies. Even though it's 6 weeks away, consider this your invitation to start planning!

Here are some things you can start thinking about (and it has nothing to do with the costume!)

1.) Will you let your child "Trick or Treat?"

2.) If your child does "Trick or Treat," will you let them eat the "safe" candy or not?

3.) What alternatives will you have when unsafe food and candy is present?

4.) Will you be involved in their Halloween class party? (This is a great way to be an encouragement when "unsafe" food is around.)

5.) Will you "skip" Halloween altogether and put your focus elsewhere on October 31st (family, helping others, etc)

These may not seem like deep questions but they all involve some sort of planning. Last year was the first year we let my son, Tyler, go to a bunch of houses (the traditional "Trick or Treating"). At each house he and his friend told people he was allergic to peanuts but he still ended up with peanuts in his bag!

What are your plans for Halloween this year? Have you thought about it?