Every day my kids come home from school and immediately want a snack.  Today my 3 year old wanted "Oreos or anything chocolate or a lollipop" and had a meltdown when I said no.  I suggested apples, cheese or yogurt, and her response was "I don't want to eat anything healthy."  Over the past year or so, The Biggest Loser has become one of my favorite shows.  It is a show that gives people who truly need to lose weight a chance to live on a ranch, have access to a gym, two professional trainers and learn how to make the right choices in their life.  Like all other reality shows, it is a competition and people get voted off each week, but the real prize in the end is how the contestants are able to change their lives from once revolving around food to ones who now make the right choices when it comes to food. Watching this show, I realize how important it is to teach our kids about making the right choices as relating to food, and starting now when they are young. 

As parents, it's hard to set a great example, because if your house is anything like mine, we are not sitting down to a balanced meal together as a family every night of the week.  Many nights my kids will eat around 5pm and considering they only eat about five food items, their dinner is usually one of macaroni & cheese, pizza, hot dogs or chicken nuggets and maybe some broccoli, if I'm really lucky.  My husband gets home around 7pm and depending on what my kids are up to, we will eat dinner (or not) anytime between 7 and 830pm.

With Halloween coming up on Saturday, I forsee some issues relating to candy in our immediate future.  Jenny from Rockville Centre sent us an e-mail about a great tradition that her family follows that I had never heard of before but may try, "Every year when my kids come home from trick-or-treating, they can each choose 5 of their favorite pieces of candy to keep.  When they go to sleep, they each leave the rest of their candy on the front stoop for the Candy Fairy, who comes in the middle of the night, takes all the candy for children who couldn't go trick-or-treating and leaves each one of my kids a (small) toy.  At least they're not eating tons of candy."

Now we want to know what goes on with your family.  Do you eat dinner together every night?  What are some family favorites that everyone will eat together?  Do your kids like to try new things or do they eat the same things over and over again?  Is your child's school doing anything to promote healthy eating, like adopting a "no sugar policy"?  Relating to Halloween candy that they get when trick-or-treating, do you have any system for allowing your kids to eat their candy?  We'll be giving out some random prizes like movie tickets, books and more to some of you who answer these questions (some or all) - e-mail your answers to info@liparentsource.com.

Don't forget, this weekend is Daylight Savings Time which means that we get an extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning!  Remember to turn your clocks back one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night. It's also a great time to change the batteries in your smoke detectors.

There's a lot going on this week, so scroll down for some great Halloween events, a printable snack list and more great information (and a FANTASTIC new giveaway!!).  We wish each of you a safe and Happy Halloween, whether you are getting together with friends, trick or treating at one of the daytime events or heading out in your neighborhood.

Some fantastic resources relating to Nutrition & Fitness are right here in your backyard (or on your computer).  Check out the following local resources---

Below is only a partial list of upcoming events and activities so be sure to click on our EVENT CALENDAR so you do not miss anything >>>

Use the PARENT PLANNER to click on events and resources you are interested in and click PRINT MY PLANNER to print or email your list.

Celebrate Halloween with Gymboree Play & Music locations across Long Island!  Children under age 6 and their caregiver are invited to come to Gymboree for a Pumpkin Patch Party in their favorite costume for fall themed activities, pizza, crafts and fun!  For members, the cost is $25/child plus $5/sibling ($30/child plus $10/siblings for non-members).  Pumpkin Patch Parties are taking place at different times at Long Island Gymboree locations, visit our Events Calendar to find the time and location that works best for you or call Gymboree at 631.266.1114 for more information.

~ submitted by Beth Kichel, owner of Stroller Strides by Beth Kichel Fitness, Inc.

With endless diets out there, you may be surprised to find out that there is one method everyone can agree on - a food diary.  It shouldn't come as a surprise that the most successful tool in weight management is behavior modification.  Makes sense, right?  Well, the number one tool used for this is a food diary. 

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway for tickets to the American Girl Fashion Show,held by Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Lindenhurst.  We had 5 pairs of tickets to giveaway. Congratulations to Dawn F. from Elmont, Aida A. from Ronkonkoma, Tami B. from North Babylon, Marie P. from Centereach and Ilene D. from Commack.  You will each receive an e-mail by the end of today letting you know the dates and times for your tickets.  Congratulations and we hope that you all have a great time!!!

This week's contest is another great one, we're giving away a family 4 pack of tickets to the Big Apple Circus in New York City at Lincoln Center. The tickets will be for Mezzanine seats - and the best thing about the Big Apple Circus is that no seat is more than 50 feet away from the main stage. The Big Apple Circus will be at Lincoln Center from October 22nd, 2009 through January 18th, 2010. If you win, you will receive a selection of dates to choose from during this time, so you'll be sure to have tickets to a date and time that fits your schedule.  Visit our Contest page to see how you can win!

Town of Oyster Bay Residents who are volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers may be entitled to receive a property tax deduction.  Residents who have served at least 5 years as a volunteer firefighter or ambulance worker and own a primary residence in the community that they serve are eligible for up to a 10 percent reduction in the assessed value of their property.  Proof of membeship in a fire company, fire department or ambulance service must be provided.  The exemption applies only to the town portion of the property tax bill.

Town of Oyster Bay Residents who have done alterations, reconstruction or improvements that increase the assessed value of a one- or two-family home also may be entitled to receive a property tax deduction. 

For information talk to your accountant or call the Nassau County Department of Assessment at 516.571.1500.

Awhile back, Baby Einstein videos claimed to have significant education benefits to children who watched them.  Recently it was found that the company overstated those benefits and they have been ordered to give back money to their customers. 

If you purchased Baby Einstein DVDs between June 5, 2004 and September 4, 2009, you can either keep the DVDs and receive a Baby Einstein book and music CD or a coupon for 25% off one Little Einstein product at the Disney Store, or you can return the DVD and receive a refund of $15.99 per DVD (maximum of 4 DVDs).  In order to get the refund, you have to give back your videos and the offer ends on March 4, 2010.  You do not need the original store receipt but you do need the original packaging.

Click here for specific instructions on how to get your refund.