What will happen to the bag of Halloween candy that your child brought home? The trick-or-treaters at my house brought plastic pumpkins filled to the brim.
What happens to the candy now? The U.S. Census reports that we eat an average of 26 pounds of candy per year.
You can do a Halloween candy sort for a vocabulary boost, but what then? Why not use those sweets to sweeten your special needs child's behavior?
- Establish expectations.
- Set up a schedule.
- When the rules are followed for a specified time (morning, afternoon, etc.), allow the child to pick a treat from the bag.
Besides using the sweets for a behavior reward, you will want to use the opportunity to establish (or reinforce) good dental practices.
- Good behavior.
- Choose a Halloween treat.
- Brush the sugar away.
Just think how many practices you can get in with a single Halloween haul! The routine should be an automatic response by the time you get to the bottom of the pumpkin. I hope you have a sweet week. . . L.
