Additive Free and Halloween!!??

Good Morning! WOW! I didn’t realize Halloween was such a controversial topic!!!!! 

A few months ago (as you may not know already) I made the decision for my family to become completley additive free with our diets … I already was due to food allergies but the other 5 were not. This was pretty much decided after ‘trialling’ Additive Free eating on my Miss 8 who was having behavioural issues and when I cut out additives from her diet she is now a completley different child…..YES she is HAPPY and YES she can still have treats, lollies, chips and sugar! Just additive free ones! (more on my Additive Free journey at http://www.cutoutthecrap.com.au/additive-free-and-loving-it/)

I have found that since going additive free the hardest thing  I have had to deal with is others hurtful, negative and oh so judgmental comments. I was told on holidays only recently that I was a “horrible” Mother because I didn’t allow my Children a store bought Icecream…..COULD YOU IMAGINE if I told someone that I think THEY are a horrible person because they DID allow their children that Icecream????? I wouldn’t dare because of many reasons….besides the fact its RUDE and offensive, it is not my opinion to tell others how to parent!!!!!!!!! Why do people think they have the right to tell others what they should and shouldn’t do!!??

What I should have done is given Miss 8 an icecream and then left her with that friend for the afternoon….she then would have seen the true meaning of HORRIBLE! And you know what….YES, whilst on holidays (the 2nd last day) they did get and icecream. Miss 8 spent the afternoon cranky, and in tears and saying “I just feel so angry” ….. was it worth it?? For the enjoyment of the icecream for her as a once off holiday treat maybe it was, I dont know??!! As an every day occurance for her to have her body & mind react like that due to additives being added….NO!

ice cream on holidays

Dealing with the demands of every day life is hard enough as it is these days, without adding the extra burden of friends, family and complete strangers judging you for how you parent. MY choice is to eat additive free and if people ask me why I will tell them MY opinion….I would never judge them or think less of them for turning up to a park with Juice Poppers, Soft Drink, Cheezels and Nuggets etc just because I wouldn’t!

Which brings me to Halloween!!!!!

I posted a status update seeing if I was the only Mother around that wouldn’t allow my children to go “trick or treating” after I had another friend judge me negativley when I said no I wouldn’t let them go …… I think the words were “oh, just let them be kids and let them have some fun” …..**sigh**

My kids have fun. We go to the local pool, parks, day trips, picnics, draw, paint, cook,  dance around the house, cuddle up watching movies and everything else that normal 10, 8 and 2 yr olds like to do!

YES they eat FUN FOOD …. they are KIDS and they love “junk” at times ….. I have simply had to change everything to additive free, they do not miss out on parties,  lollies, chips, and chocolate….you can see my rant on Sugar and why I dont have a problem with it….. http://www.cutoutthecrap.com.au/sugar-sugar-sugar-sugar/   ….. I would be certain though that everything they would get from trick or treating would end up coming home and being thrown out as it would be filled with additives….which brings me back to MY choice of not letting them eat them for, ‘to me’,  obvious reasons!

happy with cupcakes!

Besides the whole ‘food’ thing I also have a problem with children door knocking on strangers doors and asking for lollies…..and sadly, yes, a lot of my neighbours are strangers. I see the man that lives opposite me drive in his garage of a night and have never seen him before our out in his yard of a weekend, I could sit next to him at a Cafe and I wouldn’t know it was him! It seems that a lot of people have thought in advance on that and arranged friends houses to go to and have actaully gone with their children. A few years back we had many young kids door knock without parents in sight and also teenagers not dressed up telling us they have been sent out to ‘gather school morning teas’ …… this is what I don’t agree with. Surely your childrens safety is more important than lollies??!! As I say though, its great to hear that so many make it a family event and my hubby even said that those that came to our door last night were all with adults! YAY!

Santa -Ok well I have to say it. I don’t think Halloween is anything like Christmas (and for the person that asked, no my kids don’t get carrots at Easter, they do get Chocolate!) and YES they do sit on Santas knee……in the public shopping centre…..with me there…..Christmas also for us is fun and magical and my kids have never been scared of Christmas as it doesn’t involve Ghosts, goblins, blood and scary creatures. Christmas is something we talk about all year round and our kids “know” Santa…..for us he is not a strange fat man that they only hear of once a year. I have friends that don’t allow their kids to sit on Santas knee and others that tell their kids from day dot ‘the truth’ …..once agian…..IT IS YOUR CHOICE!

Where does Halloween come from – whilst I agree Halloween is not American I do know that Americans celebrate it massivley and its a huge holiday/event for them. As people say I have a TV, lounge etc that are all from different countries so I don’t really care where it comes from. That is clearly not my issue. As far as the Satanic side of it goes, I am leaving that one alone…..thats what Google is for!

With over 200 FB comments on my status update about Halloween the biggest thing I was shocked at was (from both sides) the judgments. People being called bad parents, fat, lazy and saying that their kids would be unhappy is just downright MEAN! As much as I knew it was a ‘contoversial’ topic and I am all for opinions, I have deleted some comments that were just not neeeded. Could you imagine if I brought up politics, religion or circumcision!!!!!!!!! EEK!

I don’t think anyone should feel guilty for sending their kids trick or treating and I do not judge those that went, I am certain they would have had fun as much as I am certain my kids won’t need councelling for not going! My whole point was that I did not like being judged for not sending my kids…..so in NO way would it be my intention for those to feel bad for going!

I have never once heard anyone say “I am making this decision for my children because I think its bad for them” !!!!!!    We all do what WE think is right and in many ways I think it would be a boring and sad world if we all thought the same. I must take after my father in many ways and like a “good ol’ debate” on things at times, but I believe people need to get off their high horses with putting people down for being different or having different opinions. 

So….in saying all of that…. I wish you a HAPPY day, full of FUN, LOVE AND LAUGHTER! (and no judgements!) 

Take Care of You,

Collette x

Additive Free and Halloween!!??