Although you may have decided to give out non-edible treats this Halloween, chances are your neighbors are still handing out the sweet stuff. When your kids come home from trick-or-treating with all that loot and start sorting through it, the sheer volume may make you freak out (even more than the pint-sized grim reaper at your door did).

What are you going to do with all that candy? You could let the kids eat most of it in one sitting and get sick, or you might be tempted to dump it in the trash. There's no need to take drastic measures! I recommend giving your kids the opportunity to pick out a few of their favorite pieces and then make the rest disappear like magic. Read on for a few neat tricks. 

With just a few weeks until the election and politics all over the news, voter fatigue may have started to set in. It’s at this point many of us are thinking, “I can’t wait until this election is over.” I’m definitely there. But it’s important to remember what’s at the core of all this political ping pong (or maybe dodge ball): our vote. Whether you look at selecting our country’s leaders as a right, privilege, duty, or obligation, it is an opportunity to have our voices heard. It is also a teachable moment for our kids. For tips and resources for teaching your kids (even the youngest of the crew) about citizenship and the importance of being informed and involved, read on. We have a rundown of ideas, interactive websites, books, and crafts for you to share with toddlers to teens.

It's that time of year again—the sugary treats are flowing freely from trick-or-treating, parties, and parades, and parents are either hiding their kids' Halloween haul or eating it themselves. There must be a better way, right? Never fear—Mommy Poppins has the solution. Whether you're in the city or the suburbs, you can find local businesses that'll turn sugar highs into good deeds. 

We may all be walking around our neighborhoods Halloween night dressed as witches (note to self: find witch hat in closet), but we’re not really mean; we’re planning to let our kids eat unreasonable amounts of refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and non-organic chocolate way past their bedtimes on a school night - for one night anyway.

The dilemma comes on November 1. When the trick-or-treating is over.

Like other big days, Halloween is a holiday of traditions. There's the tradition of collecting heavy bags of candy, the tradition of eating it until you're sick, and the tradition of wondering what the heck you're supposed to do with it all a few days later. 

Spicy or robust, fruit-flavored or floral, a hot cup of tea can set the right tone for time with anyone special, but especially with one of your own children! Are you looking to spend some special time with a tween or teen? Or trying to occupy a rainy afternoon?  Take them out for a cup of tea in one of these Connecticut tea rooms and see how the conversation flows.

For most kids, Halloween is all about the candy. Buckets and buckets full of sticky, sweet treats. Not to mention the candy coma that comes after. There might even be some new cavities as well. Yikes!

But for parents (and some kids), the thought of so much candy coming home only causes a headache. All that sugar can lead to too many belly aches and too many toothaches. Besides using the leftover candy for arts-and-crafts and decorations, there are several spots around Long Island where you can donate candy to a good cause. So instead of sighing in frustration at the amount of candy your children schlep home this Halloween, check out the below for a list of places happy and willing to take that candy off your hands.

Have a young robot fan or STEM-minded kid with a birthday coming up? Sure, you could host a Minecraft party at your home with all of the kids fixated on their individual screens in a haze. But why not fuel his or her creativity with a robotics party at a high-tech hub?

We've gathered several ways you can help your child celebrate with science and robotics, either on location or in your home. Looking for more birthday ideas? Consult our Kids' Party Planner Guide!