Last week during my morning bootcamp, one of my fellow campers shared a great idea that I wanted to pass along for this week’s Wellness Wednesday! Heather is the mom of two adorable little boys who often show up to our bootcamp warm-up so she and her husband can switch places (he comes to the 6 am session, she to the 7 am one). As we were jogging along I asked her if her boys were excited about Easter. She said they were and also excited about the Candy Fairy. Intrigued, I asked her for more details.
It turns out the Candy Fairy comes after any major holiday where her kids might receive a lot of candy such as Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day a or even a birthday. After a few days of sugar-highs, the kids are allowed to pick out their favorite 3 pieces of candy, which are declared ‘safe’ from the Candy Fairy’s visit. That night, the Candy Fairy visits the house, takes the rest of the candy and leaves a small toy in it’s place. (Usually a small box of legos or a new toy car.)
I loved this idea and I think it’s a great tradition that any family can start in their home to help younger kids make healthy choices. If you’re wondering what to do with that left-over candy, try a local homeless shelter or even an organization that sends packages to our troops stationed abroad. 
By Kathryn Taylor
