Best Halloween Hacks for Moms

Throwback Thursday to the time we did a MomCave LIVE episode called Halloween Hacks for Moms.

What kind of jerk invents a holiday that requires a mom to come up with a creative, suitable costume idea that their kid actually likes and then either hand-make that costume or buy an expensive version, stock the house with candy to give to other kids, and then allow their own kid to collect a whole sack of junk that will cause whining and tantrums to come for the next several weeks? Pagans, that’s who!

Here are some of the Halloween Mom Hacks that came out of our discussion, which was often interrupted by Jen’s preschooler hitting her with a foam sword. Ah, motherhood…

-Set accurate expectations. Let your kids know before you even begin that there is NO WAY in HELL they are eating all of that candy tonight. And you will not clean up all the garbage wrappers yourself, either! 

-Institute a “candy tax.” Since Mom and Dad paid for your costume and took you trick or treating on a school night, they get to choose a portion of the candy for themselves. In my home, anything Reese’s goes straight to mom.

@momcavetv #question from @momcavetv #momssnack #hiddensnacks #momcavetv #reesescups #stresseatingmywaytosanity #hotmessmomtrain #mommytimeout #mamaneedsabreak #chocolateaddicted #reesescup ♬ original sound – MomCave Jen – Comedy for Moms

-Arrange a visit from the “Great Pumpkin.” An associate of the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy, the Great Pumpkin takes a load of candy off of your hands overnight, replacing it with a more “mom-approved” treat like a small toy or new finger paints. One of our favorite Halloween shortcuts!

-Sloooowly hide the candy. Young kids don’t have a great concept of time or numbers. Every day, get rid of a few more pieces of candy when they aren’t looking. Or hide YOUR favorite candies in the laundry room. No one will look for them there!

-If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Dressing up makes the whole evening more fun. Check out our Slacker Mom’s Guide to Halloween with costumes that you can pull together quickly from stuff you have around the house. And if you wear a mask, maybe no one will recognize you as the mom of those sugared-up-out-of-control hooligans!

Halloween Hacks for Moms on MomCave LIVE

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Jen

Jennifer Weedon Palazzo is the creator/writer/and producer of Mom Cave TV, an online network of comedy shows for moms including Slummy Mummy, Double Leche, Blabbermom, and MomCave LIVE. She's a working actress in NYC who has appeared in films, commercials, and some very off-off Broadway plays. When she’s not writing about the funny side of being a mom (for blogs like Scary Mommy and Mamalode) Jennifer can be found eating Reese’s Cups while furiously bidding on vintage clothing on eBay. She lives with her husband, Evan, bandleader of The Hot Sardines and two spirited children.

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