The Halloween note lady

[clk 3,519]

Just wondering if ya'll saw this and had any opinions. I'd link the the original but there's an annoying video that auto plays on that site and it bothered me.

Celebrate it. So this is my first year ever that I carved a pumpkin and I'll be taking my five year old twins to trick or treat. To minimize the candy, we're only hitting the dozen houses on the block where we personally know the neighbors. Trick or treat is weird if you didn't grow up doing it. The idea of knocking on strangers doors and asking for candy is just bizarre to me, but it's totally normal to Americans that grew up with the tradition, I guess.

We're also handing out goldfish crackers and candy. I got the smallest bite size portions I could find. It's not my job to parent everyone else's kid, but I will minimize the damage I do, I guess.

Anyway, not sure if this was a hoax or an attempt to stir people up but I will say that she sucks. Handing out humiliation and shame is far more harmful than handing out candy. My house is pretty streamlined - we eat junk sparingly (at least, the kids do and I try very hard to!) and I bake or make almost everything we eat. I still have an obese five year old. It's not her fault - it's really not - she's active and eats well and just plain inherited the same crappy genes and insulin resistance that made me fat. I'd hate for someone else to feel it's their right or duty to attempt to shame her into being skinny. I'd happily give this woman a piece of my mind if she did anything like this to one of my kids. Furthermore, if she really were concerned about childhood obesity (a serious issue) she could hand out fruit chips or granola bars or she could sponsor a Halloween party that was a healthier alternative to trick or treating. But this is just being a a-hole, plain and simple.

Opinions or thoughts?

Enjoy the holiday, people!

~Cheri

Edited October 31, 2013 by clk

[newat52 1,612]

I couldn't agree more! This lady is a b***h in a major way! She has lots of options other than giving out nasty notes. She could hand out little party treats such as plastic spider rings or something of the like. She just wants to shame the kids and parents.

Neither will help.

I have seen a copy of what she is intending to hand out. She is chicken. If she feels that strongly, she would have signed the note and put her address on it.

Some people are just something else!

As for me, I have 300 treat bags ready to pass out! I only hand out the good stuff! Snickers, Baby Ruth, skittles, Starbursts and Nestle Crunch!

Love the trick or treaters!

Edited October 31, 2013 by newat52

[vegasneon 181]

When I was a fat little kid Halloween was the only day I didn't feel embarrassed at eating candy. At 10 or 11 I was too aware of being fat to trick or treat anymore. If I had been given a mean note like that it would have ruined Halloween for me at a younger age. If you are a fat kid you know it, you don't need some old hag pointing it out and it will probably make those little fat kids eat MORE candy out of frustration.

Now I always work on Halloween night and so I don't buy candy. My husband will be home tonight but he is Diabetic so I told him he can't buy candy and to just turn off the porch light. If it fell on a night I was home I would have been scouring the stores for healthy treats.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

Hello............This woman needs a good kick in the arse!!!!!!!!!!! Who does she think she is........Wait a minute she is an ignorant, prejudice, cruel and non descent person in my book....

[RebecaSparkles 247]

We are doing pencils, temp tattoos and stickers.

One of my sleeved friends got like 400 2inch mega bounce bouncy balls at party city for $5- she has sworn off candy.

I always loved when people made little goody bags w/ a variety of candy & toys.

allons-y

[gamergirl 4,609]

This is the first year we're not handing out candy. Not only am I still on an airplane but although my husband is home, honestly I don't want either of us around candy. We're only 3 months out and we just don't trust ourselves around it.

I too didn't grow up with the tradition and find it bizarre. I always asked my kids why I couldn't just buy them the candy? Why did we have to traipse to 10000 houses to get one piece at each house?? I was told I "just didn't get it Mom!" Well I really didn't. Where I grew up it would be considered begging.

But over the years, I've really enjoyed the little babies who come up to the door and marveled at their costumes. This year, we'll sit it out. Maybe next year.

[gmanbat 5,889]

** Warning..old fart reminiscing **

Halloween was such fun when I was a baby boomer kid. Our neighborhoods were kid friendly and minions by the thousands would swarm around for hours. Almost every house had a light on and they had a blast dropping candy off, inviting us in, scaring us, and generally giving the kids a good time. It was almost like Christmas, people enjoyed giving and getting a kick out of the kids. I dressed up as Elvis and carried an old guitar around. I know, not very scary, didn't care..liked Elvis. We didn't take little plastic pumpkins to fill up..we took pillow cases. Between my brothers and I we had enough inventory to start a candy store. We dumped it all in the middle of the living room and our parents marvelled at the mountain we created. Belly aches were a given. We lived through it.

It was magic.

[cindymg 629]

Yes, I gave out candy tonight. And, yes I felt guilty about it. This is a debate I have with myself every year, but I figure why ruin the kids night (yeah, yeah, ruining their teeth, I know). Can you tell I am conflicted?

Next year I think I'll try the goodie bags with pencils, stickers and maybe one mini candy bar.

Halloween used to be a big binge day for me. I had to declare my house a caramel-free zone as they never made it to the kids' bags -- rather they made it only to my mouth. But 12 years ago I gave up sugar so that I could get off insulin. And, I've never looked back. Now I've lost my taste for sweets. But using the theory of aversion therapy, every time I think about trying something sweet, I just remember how awful it was to be on insulin, and the desire passes.

So how does someone who doesn't eat sweets end up needing WLS? By substituting other carbs for sugar, that's how. Carbs still call to me, but my sleeve saves me time after time.

Trick or treaters have stopped knocking on the door now. Survived another Halloween!

[clk 3,519]

Well, I did kinda leash my own kids in a bit. This was all new to them, so hitting about a dozen houses and coming home was no big deal for them. They have very modestly sized candy bags and I'm rationing it out to them two pieces a day until it's gone.

My issue? We did buy candy to give out and we didn't have the turnout we expected! I have half a very large bucket of incredibly tempting treats sitting in my living room, but I'm staying strong. I'm sending it all in to work with the husband soon. I know, it's cruel to fatten up his coworkers but this is survival!

Next year? I'm giving out bags with a small piece of candy and some toys for sure. No need to have this much junk around after the holiday!

~Cheri

[McButterpants 2,846]

I would have an issue with this lady handing my kid the note. Just as I did my son's doctor when he came in and without looking at my son said to my husband and me, "Your son is obese." My husband told my son to take off his shirt - he did and showed the good doctor his 6-pack stomach. There is very little fat on him. The problem is he looked a chart and determined he weighed too much for his height - he didn't take a BMI, he looked at the dreaded chart. The doc laughed it off and said, "He obviously isn't obese, he's muscular." The damage was done - when we got to the car, my son was visibly upset.

So, this note lady is going to make that determination on her own. "You get candy, you get candy, sorry, honey, you get a note to take home to your parents." If she wants to end childhood obesity, please start an organization, do a 5K walk, but please, it is not your place to single out any child. Most overweight kids, already know they are overweight. Let's not add salt to that wound.

[newat52 1,612]

I wonder if she really went through with it. If she did, I bet she is cleaning up a bunch of eggs today.

[RJ'S/beginning 5,357]

I think like every crusader she just wants her 5 min. of fame...She chose poorly....I have decided I just don't like her!!!!!!!!!!!!