Happy Halloween!

Halloween Safety Tips

Frisco No. 5 Best Place in the Nation to Collect Halloween Treats!

As the nation gears up for the most neighborly of holidays, Halloween, Nextdoor has released the Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats. For the first time, Nextdoor analyzed data from the tens of thousands of neighborhoods that use the platform's annual Treat Map feature to create this list. Trick-or-treaters in these top cities will hit the candy jackpot this Halloween.

Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats:

1. Cary, NC
2. Ann Arbor, MI
3. Omaha, NE
4. Columbus, OH
5. Frisco, TX
6. Orlando, FL
7. Downers Grove, IL
8. Greenville, SC
9. Baton Rouge, LA
10. Boise, ID

List methodology: This list is based on the ratio of Nextdoor members who indicated they were passing out candy on their neighborhood's Treat Map to the total number of Nextdoor members in a city. Data was analyzed in U.S. cities where more than 5,000 neighbors are using Nextdoor.  

Each day neighbors across the country rely on Nextdoor to connect about the things that matter most in their communities. Every October, neighbors use Nextdoor's Treat Map to let each other know they will be passing out candy by marking their home on their neighborhood's Treat Map with the ultimate Halloween icon, a candy corn. Parents and trick-or-treaters can use the map to plan their routes ahead of time.

"Passing out Halloween candy is one of the most neighborly things you can do," said Nirav Tolia, Co-Founder and CEO of Nextdoor. "We are excited to share this year's list of the Top Ten U.S. Cities for Treats and encourage neighbors everywhere to show theirHalloween spirit by adding their own homes to their neighborhood's Treat Map."

1. Boise, ID

Halloween: A Sweet Time for Family, Fun and Traditions

(Family Features) Halloween is a fun time of year meant to be celebrated with friends and family. While the holiday originated more than 2,000 years ago with Celtic tribes, the traditions of dressing in disguises and celebrating with food and drink endure to this day.

According to a survey conducted by the National Confectioners Association, more than three quarters of Americans will hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year and many others will participate in community sponsored Halloween events, display a seasonal candy bowl or attend a Halloween party.

No matter what age group, Halloween is a time to let loose and have some fun. Here are some tips to help you and your family make the most of this sweet and spooky holiday:

Make new traditions together. While trick-or-treating is a perennial favorite Halloween activity, don’t be afraid to expand your options. Many families already enjoy things like carving a jack-o-lantern or attending a family oriented Halloween party. For some new ideas, try transforming your home into a haunted house with spooky displays, decorating customized trick-or-treat bags or even going on a hayride at a local farm. It doesn’t matter what you are doing as long as you can spend time with loved ones.

Amp up the spook-factor with creepy treats. Candy is a special part of Halloween, and one of life’s little pleasures that is meant to be enjoyed as a treat during the holiday. On Halloween, candy shaped like eyeballs, brains or spiders can be a fun way to create a memorable celebration. Parents are 24 percent more likely than non-parents to pick creepy candy over other Halloween themes.

Enjoy candy in moderation. With lots of treats being handed out on Halloween, it’s a good time to keep moderation in mind. Nearly 80 percent of parents surveyed report that they have a plan in place to help their children make smart decisions when it comes to the enjoyment of treats. NCA’s moderation guides are a handy way to make sure you treat right on Halloween or any day of the year. Let your children enjoy some candy on Halloween and then portion out two or three treats into small bags for enjoyment later. For school-age children, consider slipping a small piece of candy into their lunch boxes as a fun surprise.

Remember that safety comes first. There are a number of easy ways to make the evening a safe and enjoyable one. Wear light-colored clothing that’s short enough to prevent tripping and add reflective tape to the sides, front and back of costumes. Trick-or-treat before the sun is completely set and carry a flashlight in case of delay. Finally, try to stay within your neighborhood and only visit homes you know.  

Learn more about Halloween traditions and how to enjoy sweets in moderation at CandyUSA.com/HalloweenCentral. There you can also find great recipes, moderation tips and guides, craft ideas and safety reminders to make sure you enjoy a spooktacular holiday.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images 

Halloween revelers prefer do-it-yourself costumes

Funny costumes were deemed the most popular type of costume this year, edging out iconic/classic and minimalist costumes, according to Goodwill's National Halloween Poll. Goodwill polled thousands of Americans by phone and in person to find out what's hot and what's not. The survey led to many surprising findings:

• Survey respondents preferred do-it-yourself costumes (51 percent) over packaged costumes (27 percent). The trend shows people are more interested in creating original looks or being creative and unique by blending accessories.
• There's a surge in popularity for group, family and couples costumes this year, especially among millennials. Of those planning to wear costumes, 19 percent will look for group, couple or family costumes and 31 percent of millennials plan to participate in those costumes this year.
• Goodwill customers like the idea of merging two or more traditional costumes to create unique looks. For example, a zombie-princess, pirate-cat or another merged creation. This reflects the trend toward do-it-yourself, creative and original costume designs. To determine your unique costume creation using your initials, visit Goodwill's Halloween costume generator.
• Respondents revealed what not to wear: They will avoid risqué/overly sexy costumes (60 percent) and political costumes (35 percent).

For the second year in a row, respondents deemed zombie, pirate and vampire costumes as the most popular choices.

Goodwill has more than 3,000 stores in the United States and Canada that are full of the items needed to create unique costumes on a budget. Shoppers can take pride in knowing that their purchases help people in their communities. Store revenues help Goodwill agencies fund job training programs and services, such as résumé assistance, career counseling, computer classes, financial education, transportation and many more. These services help people find jobs, earn paychecks and care for their families.

"Goodwill has everything you need to create a unique costume on a budget," said Evette Rios, lifestyle expert, television host and Goodwill spokesperson. "Find pieces at Goodwill to wear again, and then look for the right accessories to put together a unique Halloween look. If you don't find what you're looking for, come back, because Goodwill stores get new items each day."

Goodwill's Halloween website is a one-stop shop, with a costume generator, makeup videos and a locator to find your nearest Goodwill store. Visit www.goodwill.org/halloween.

About the National Halloween Poll ORC International conducted a landline and cell phone survey of 1,012 respondents from September 24 – September 27, 2015. The margin of error was +/- 3.08 percent. Goodwill agencies conducted a separate in-store costume poll of more than 3,000 respondents at Goodwill stores in Washington, California, Nevada, Minnesota, Pennsylvania and Florida from September 23 ­– October 1, 2015.

Americans Stay Sweet on Halloween by Embracing Moderation

The trick to enjoying your favorite Halloween treats? Moderation, according to the results of the National Confectioners Association's (NCA) new national survey. As the holiday approaches, nearly 80 percent of parents report that they have a plan in place to help their children make smart decisions when it comes to the enjoyment of treats. More than three-quarters of Americans will hand out candy to trick-or-treaters this year and many others will participate in community-sponsored Halloween events, display a seasonal candy bowl or attend a Halloween party. NCA projects that retail sales of Halloween candy in 2015 will be $2.6 billion, a boost to the U.S. economy that helps support 55,000 manufacturing jobs and hundreds of thousands of jobs in related industries.  

"People understand that candy is a treat, and this year's survey tells us that they are celebrating Halloween in more ways than ever and practicing moderation," said Alison Bodor, executive vice president of the National Confectioners Association. "Parents, including me, are embracing Halloween celebrations and traditions, but we're also using the holiday as an opportunity to teach our children how to enjoy candy as a fun part of a balanced lifestyle."

Bodor added that the U.S. confectionery industry supports 465,000 American jobs. "From our industry's own manufacturers to the jobs we help support on the farms where our ingredients are grown and in the stores where our products are sold, candy makers are supporting good-paying jobs in this country. Confectioners are vital to the economic success of their communities – at Halloween and year round."  

According to NCA's seasonal survey, more than 90 percent of parents discuss or plan to discuss balance and moderation with their children relative to their candy consumption, and while most report having these conversations year-round, many use the holiday as a starting point.

Those who stay home to hand out candy also recognize the importance of balance and moderation. More than 60 percent of respondents prefer to hand candy to trick-or-treaters, rather than having the ghosts and goblins help themselves, and nearly 60 percent of those surveyed believe that up to two pieces is just the right amount per household.

Halloween Is Meant For Sharing    Halloween continues to be the top candy-giving holiday with 86 percent of people gifting or sharing chocolate or other candy. Seven in 10 people believe that holidays like Halloween are meant for enjoying candy, and that it is important to do so in moderation. Parents support the notion that sharing is a critical piece of the Halloween celebration – a full 80 percent report that they enjoy some of their children's Halloween bounty by either sneaking it when the kids aren't looking (23 percent) or by instituting a house rule that it must be shared (57 percent).

Candy Is Always A Treat   NCA's survey revealed that 81 percent of Americans support the notion that candy is a treat and 75 percent agree that it is okay to enjoy seasonal chocolate or candy. Almost 20 percent of consumers say they are more likely to buy seasonal candy in smaller portion sizes than they were five years ago.

Everyone Has A Favorite Americans love chocolate year-round, and Halloween is no exception. A full 70 percent of people say chocolate is their favoriteHalloween treat, followed by candy corn (13 percent), chewy candy (6 percent) and gummy candy (5 percent). Despite chocolate's popularity, most Americans (63 percent) say they stock their trick-or-treat candy bowls with a mix of chocolate and non-chocolate, so that they can be sure to have something everyone will like. When it comes to selecting candies in shapes like spiders, eyeballs and brains to inspire seasonal celebrations, parents are 24 percent more likely than non-parents to pick creepy candy over otherHalloween themes.

Keeping An Eye On The Candy StashNearly four in five parents (79 percent) encourage moderation by keeping tabs on their children's candy consumption followingHalloween, but they take different approaches. Some limit their children to a certain number of pieces per day (35 percent), a total number of pieces overall (14 percent), or a general amount of calories (9 percent) and then take the rest away. Twenty-one percent opt to take responsibility for the candy and dole it out as appropriate. NCA supported research at Pennsylvania State University to help parents learn practices that promote balance and moderation with treats in their homes. As part of that research, a scientificliterature review published recently in the Journal of Pediatric Obesity concluded that simply restricting or forbidding children from having snack foods or other treats, like candy, is not an effective approach to helping them learn how to consume these foods in moderation.

For more sweet information on candy, Halloween and moderation, visit www.candyUSA.com or follow NCA on Twitter and Instagram (@CandyUSA) or on Facebook (National Confectioners Association).

Play: It's Not Just Fun and Games

 As children head back to school, the time set aside for play seems to disappear. According to a survey conducted by Dr Pepper Snapple Group's Let's Play initiative, 56 percent of parents say busy schedules are a major barrier to play.

Play is an important part of a child's physical, emotional and social development. In fact, kids who play are found to be healthier, happier and better performers in school. As children's schedules become packed with activities during the school year, it is important to make sure they are getting enough active playtime each day to help them grow into happy, healthy adults.

Here are some reasons to keep kids active during the school year:

Play promotes social skills. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just more than a quarter of students surveyed participated in daily physical education classes. Kids have fewer opportunities to be active during the school day, so it is important to supplement their schedules with after-school activities or sports throughout the year. Team sports are a great opportunity for children to foster friendships and connect with kids from different backgrounds. Keeping your children active through sports gives them the opportunity to maintain a physically active lifestyle while also making new friends.

Play heightens intellectual development. Education in the classroom allows children to learn and grow; however, physical activity outside of the classroom is also important for a child's development. Studies show that physical play has been linked to helping kids think creatively and create connections with others through the process of sharing, negotiating and resolving conflicts. Such skills are vital for a child to learn and can be easily taught through active play.

Play enhances motor skills. Playgrounds serve as a great space for kids to explore and have fun in a safe environment while challenging and refining their motor skills. Interacting with play equipment helps build motor skills and improves self-control and coordination.

Play relieves stress. As kids get older, schoolwork becomes increasingly difficult and stress levels about the workload begin to rise. In fact, 46 percent of parents polled in the Let's Play survey said that a focus on academics was one of their kids' biggest barriers to play. While academics should always be a priority, giving kids the opportunity and time to play can relieve the stress associated with school and allow them to simply have fun. 

You can learn more about the importance of play and get tips and advice on how to incorporate active play in your child's everyday life at LetsPlay.com, where you can also nominate a community group, nonprofit or school to receive a new playground or sports equipment grant courtesy of Let's Play.

Back-to-School Shoppers Slowly Tackling Lists This Summer

As families artfully craft their back-to-school shopping plans around promotions and even their state’s sales tax holiday, it seems there is still quite a bit of shopping left to be done. According to NRF’s latest Back-to-School Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, the average family with children in grades K-12 has completed just half (50.4%) of their shopping, which is even with results from last year’s survey (49.9%).

“As expected, families are carefully measuring where, when and how they should spend on fall apparel items, school supplies, electronics and other necessities,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Late summer promotions and sales tax holidays around the country are likely contributing to the delay in back-to-school shopping this year, which means the next few weeks could be exceptionally busy for retailers large and small.”

“Retailers, hoping to strike a chord with both budget-conscious and value-focused parents, will roll out hard to pass up promotions designed to capture the attention of those last-minute shoppers,” said Shay.
"As expected, families are carefully measuring where, when and how they should spend on fall apparel items, school supplies, electronics and other necessities."
Matthew Shay

Though fewer people this year admit that they have not yet started their shopping (19.5%) compared to last year (23.6%), it’s clear that most of those who have started shopping still have quite a bit left on their lists. A number of families, however, stated they already have everything they need for the first day of school with 13.3 percent saying that they have finished their shopping.

Coupons and promotions continue to resonate with today’s shopper, and the survey this year found that mom and dad certainly have done their own homework when it comes to the new supplies, apparel and electronic items on their lists: those who have already started shopping indicate that about half of their purchases (51.3%) were influenced by coupons, sales and promotions, down from 58 percent last year.

When it comes to classroom needs, the survey found parents are on the hook to contribute several items. On average, parents say that 64.4 percent of their purchases of pencils, folders and other school supplies are influenced by classroom lists or school requirements. In addition, 45.9 percent of their electronics purchases for back to school are influenced by the lists and requirements of their family’s schools.

“Given the extra costs some parents take on these days when it comes to stocking their children’s classroom, many will certainly look to take advantage of retailer’s sales and promotions as well as their state’s sales tax holidays as they wrap up their lists,” said Prosper’s Principal Analyst Pam Goodfellow. “More retailers than ever are in the back-to-school spectrum, so it won’t be difficult for mom and dad to find what they need wherever they shop, be it their favorite website for free shipping offers or their local drug store for last-minute deals on supplies.”

When asked what payment method families shopping for back-to-school used most often, 44.6 percent have or will use their debit cards, while others have or will swipe their credit cards (27.7%) or pay with cash (25.5%).

As for where consumers will finish their shopping, discount stores will see the most traffic (53.4%), while 46.8 percent will shop at department stores, 36.6 percent at clothing stores and 12.8 percent will wrap up at electronics stores; 27.2 percent will check out retailers’ best online deals, up from 24.8 percent this time last year.

In-store ads, coupons and promotions continue to be the big influencers for families shopping back to school. Parents say traditional media has the most impact, saying that coupons (43.4%), in-store promotions (35.3%) and advertising inserts (31%) influence them the most to shop at a particular store. Word of mouth (21.5%) and television ads (19.4%) also make a difference.


Families Shopping for College Necessities Waiting for Late-Season Deals, NRF Survey Finds

College shoppers are delaying the inevitable and waiting until absolutely necessary to fill up the family car with their college needs. NRF’s Back-to-College Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics found college students and their families have completed about half (49.1%) of their shopping lists compared to 53.7 percent this time last year. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of those planning to shop for college necessities have been busy enjoying the summer days and have not yet begun their shopping, down slightly from last year (26.2%).

College shoppers are also turning to coupons, sales or promotions to get the best bang for their buck: the survey found nearly half (48.1%) of what parents have purchased has been influenced by early summer deals and promotions, which is the same as last year but higher than the 44.4 percent in 2013.

Many colleges and universities today require incoming and/or current students to come armed and ready with their own computer. The survey this year found 49 percent of the electronic items college students and their parents have already purchased were influenced by their class or school requirements, down from 56 percent last year.

While most back-to-college shoppers say that they have or will use debit cards to make purchases (41.8%), a number of shoppers have already or will use their credit cards (31.9%) or have chosen to pay with cash (22.1%) when buying supplies, apparel and electronic items for class.

Much like back-to-school shoppers, most of those shopping for college will cross off bedding, apparel and other items from their lists at discount stores (46.3%), department stores (38.8%), clothing (28.8%) and electronics stores (20.3%).

Traditional media also resonates well with back-to-college shoppers. The survey found four in 10 (42.3%) college shoppers agree coupons influence their purchases, and nearly three in 10 (27.6%) responding that in-store promotions and advertising inserts (26.2%) are also big influencers.

Haul out the Healthy (Elf!): Dairy Council of California and First 5 Sacramento use Elf on the Shelf® to promote healthy habits this holiday season

Since its arrival from the North Pole a few years ago, the Elf on the Shelf® phenomenon has spawned countless blogs and Pinterest posts chronicling scout elf antics and children's reactions. This year, First 5 Sacramento and Dairy Council of California are teaming up to show parents and caregivers how to "haul out the healthy" with Elf on the Shelf®.

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The concept of Elf on the Shelf® is scout elves who fly to the North Pole to report to Santa each night, offering a powerful incentive for children to follow the elf's example. Sacramento County Supervisor Phil Serna, Chair of First 5 Sacramento, explains, "From buckling up in a car seat to getting flu shots and eating balanced meals and snacks, Elf on the Shelf® can be used to encourage healthy habits this holiday season, in addition to good behavior."

Dairy Council of California started the #HealthyElf campaign with an online gallery and Pinterest board. #HealthyElf helps pack sack lunches, plays indoor hopscotch, builds a snowman and even plays online games at the HealthyEating.org website. First 5 Sacramento joins the campaign this year to help reinforce other healthy habits of early childhood, like outdoor play, vaccinations and more.

The #HealthyElf images show easy ways to take small steps toward healthier lifestyles, like making hot cocoa with milk or offering yogurt dip along with vegetable trays, to help families meet their recommended daily servings of milk and milk products, which is an essential part of a healthy diet. Other images, like #HealthyElf playing hopscotch indoors on a board made with blue painter's tape or jumping rope, help encourage physical activity.

"Elf on the Shelf® demands a lot of creativity from parents, so #HealthyElf is designed to provide some additional ideas that will keep health top of mind this holiday season," said Ashley Rosales, registered dietitian nutritionist with Dairy Council of California and First 5 Sacramento advisory committee member. "Since the elf brings an expectation of good behavior prior to Christmas, it's a perfect way to model healthy behavior."  

To follow the adventures of #HealthyElf, visit HealthyEating.org/HealthyElf and visit pinterest.com/DairyCouncilCA orpinterest.com/first5sac. Parents are encouraged to tag their own healthy Elf on the Shelf® ideas with #HealthyElf to be part of the fun.

Halloween Fun Facts

Halloween, which dates back to Celtic rituals thousands of years ago, has long been associated with images of witches, ghosts and vampires. Today, Halloween has evolved into a celebration characterized by child-friendly activities, such as costumes, trick-or-treating and carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns.

Trick or Treat!

41.2 million The estimated number of potential trick-or-treaters in 2013 — children age 5 to 14 — across the U.S. Of course, many other children — older than 14 and younger than 5 — also go trick-or-treating.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2013 Population Estimates, PEPASR6H
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2013/PEPASR6H>

115 million Number of occupied housing units across the nation in first quarter 2014 — all potential stops for trick-or-treaters. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing Vacancies and Homeownership, Table 8 <http://www.census.gov/housing/hvs/data/histtabs.html>

93.3%Percentage of households with residents who considered their neighborhood safe in 2011. In addition, 79.5 percent said there was no place within a mile of their homes where they would be afraid to walk alone at night.  
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Extended Measures of Well-Being: Living Conditions in the United States, 2011, <http://www.census.gov/prod/2013pubs/p70-136.pdf>

Hauntingly Delicious

1,333Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced chocolate and cocoa products in 2012, employing 37,150 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $14.4 billion, up slightly from $14.1 billion in 2007. 
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 2012: 311351, 311352 and 2007: 311320, 311330
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311351%7C311352>, <http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2007_US/00A1//naics~311320%7C311330>

439Number of U.S. manufacturing establishments that produced nonchocolate confectionary products, employing 19,141 employees. This industry's value of shipments totaled $8.0 billion in 2012.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 Economic Census, NAICS 311340
<http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/00A1//naics~311340>

Dressed to ThrillA sampling of occupations that one may dress up as for a Halloween costume:

Occupation	Number of Full-Time,
	Year-Round Employees
Athletes, coaches, umpires and related workers	114,456
Bailiffs, correctional officers and jailers	387,955
Dentists	97,562
Detectives and criminal investigators	117,375
Farmers, ranchers and other agricultural managers	499,775
Firefighters	256,196
Police and sheriff's patrol officers	623,338
Registered nurses	2,061,647

Keeping Kiddos Safe While Trick or Treating

On average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween than on any other day of the year. But a few simple precautions for kids and drivers can make the night fun and safe.

Safe Kids has joined together with FedEx® to promote pedestrian safety this Halloween. FedEx volunteers are teaming up with 159 local Safe Kids coalitions in towns and cities across the United States to provide reflective materials and safe walking information to parents and children.

"On Halloween, more children are on the street after dark than normal, and they are so excited that they may run out into the street without looking," said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "We're asking drivers to take extra care and slow down on neighborhood roads. And, of course, it's very important that drivers put down mobile devices to avoid distraction."

Parents can use glow sticks or reflective trick-or-treat bags to make sure their kids' costumes are visible to drivers while still being fun. And talk to your kids about watching out for cars. Kids should make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street and always try to use crosswalks, when possible.

Here are the top tips from Safe Kids and FedEx to keep kids safe on Halloween. 

Top safety tips for kids:

• Costumes can be both creative and safe. The most important thing is to make sure you can be seen by drivers. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and, if possible, choose light colors. Masks can obstruct your vision, so choose non-toxic face paint and make-up whenever possible. Carry glow sticks or flashlights so you can see better, as well as be seen by drivers.
• Cross the street safely at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. Look left, right and left again when crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Put electronic devices down and keep heads up and walk, don't run, across the street.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Slow down and stay alert. Watch out for cars that are turning or backing up and don't dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.

Top safety tips for drivers:

• Slow down in residential neighborhoods. Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.
• Be especially alert and take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs. Children are excited onHalloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Reduce any distractions inside your car, such as talking on the phone or eating, so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

In 1999, Safe Kids Worldwide and program sponsor FedEx launched the Walk This Way Program in the United States to educate motorists and child pedestrians and create safer, more walkable communities. Safe Kids and FedEx address the issue through research, physical improvements to school zones, and education and awareness campaigns throughout the year.

For more tips on how to help kids become safer pedestrians on Halloween, and throughout the year, visit www.safekids.org and visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/safekidsworldwide.

Children's Teeth Tops Parents' Halloween Concerns, According to New Survey

This Halloween more than two-thirds of parents say they are concerned about their children's teeth; far more than those who are concerned about stomachaches, costume choices and nightmares. With more than 80 percent of parents saying their kids will participate in a Halloween celebration this year, and with cavities being a top concern, theKids' Healthy Mouths campaign is celebrating National Brush Day® on November 1st to reiterate the importance of brushing for two minutes, twice a day every day.

National Brush Day® is an ongoing initiative celebrated on November 1st on behalf of the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign, which was initially launched by The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives and the Ad Council in August 2012. Kids' Healthy Mouthsrecently announced a new series of PSAs, created pro bono by ad agency Grey New York, which feature humorous depictions of life lessons which make the point that while parenting can be tricky at times, getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day can be easier than many other things parents will try to teach their children.

"National Brush Day® is a wonderful time to remind parents about the importance of their children's oral health, especially after a candy-heavy holiday like Halloween," said campaign spokesperson, and former host of E! News, Kristina Guerrero. "This will be my son Mateo's second Halloween and first ever National Brush Day®. It is crucial to instill good dental habits early in life and it's great to have a day dedicated to spreading the word about getting kids to brush for two minutes, twice a day."

To take part in National Brush Day®, parents and caregivers can join the Kids' Healthy Mouths communities and share new campaign images on Facebook and Twitter (@brush2min2x). In addition to an extensive public relations and social media campaign, Kids' Healthy Mouths is kicking off its first video contest leveraging Zooppa.com, the world's leading crowd sourced marketing platform for producing creative content. The contest will encourage amateur and professional video makers to create videos showing how difficult it is to teach a child something if a parent only has two minutes, leveraging the campaign strategy and using the hashtag #BrushRules. 

"We are so excited to see the continued success of this extraordinary campaign," said Ad Council CEO, Peggy Conlon, "This campaign truly exemplifies the power of advertising to impact attitudes and behaviors and National Brush Day® is an ideal time to remind parents about children's oral health."

Parents are also encouraged to visit the campaign website, 2min2x.org where parents and children can watch entertaining videos–all 2 minutes in length–while brushing their teeth. Campaign media partners, including Cartoon Network and myKaZootv, donated snippets of videos for the site.

"Seventy five percent of parents report that their child sometimes or frequently forgets to brush his or her teeth," said Gary Price, Secretary and CEO of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. "We need all parents to get involved in National Brush Day® so we can instill lifelong habits in children that will continue throughout their lives."

As an extension of the campaign, the Ad Council also recently launched a mobile program in-house on behalf of Kids' Healthy Mouths that will engage parents and their kids in a fun and creative brushing challenge that supports the campaign's main goal of encouraging parents to make sure their children brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day. Users will meet the voice of the program, "Joy," who will help brand and personalize the texter's experience. The campaign also includes a mobile gaming app called "Toothsavers" which has received over 120,000 downloads since January of 2014.

Since its launch in 2012, more than 1.7 million people have visited 2min2x.org and the English and Spanish-language PSAs have received more than $64 million in donated media across TV, radio, print, web and outdoor outlets. Additionally, a 2013 Ad Council survey showed that in one year, English-speaking parents reported that their children were significantly more likely to brush twice a day (55 percent in 2013, up from 48 percent in 2012) and significantly more likely to brush for two minutes each time (64 percent in 2013, up from 60 percent in 2012). Spanish-speaking parents report improvement as well, with an increase in those saying that their child brushes at least twice a day (66 percent in 2013, up from 63 percent in 2012) and significantly more reporting their kids are brushing for two minutes (77 percent in 2013, up from 69 percent in 2012).

For more information about the Kids' Healthy Mouths campaign, visit 2min2x.org and follow the campaign's social media communities on Facebook and Twitter (@brush2min2x).

The Ad Council's survey was conducted by LightSpeed Research in September 2014. The nationally representative online survey included 600 parents with children 0-12.

Alternatives to Candy for Ghosts and Goblins

Everyone loves sugar – and it's no wonder. Sugar is more addictive than cocaine," says Dr. Frank King, an Asheville, N.C., doctor of naturopathy and chiropractic. "We hand out candy at Halloween as if it's harmless. Would we give our kids cigarettes?"

"If parents understand the problems associated with sugar, their whole family can be healthier," he says. "With one third of our youth overweight or obese, we cannot keep pretending empty, artificially flavored and colored, addictive calories are okay."

Obesity, even in young people, is linked with high blood pressure and higher risk of cardiovascular disease, a fact Professor Peter Schwandt reported to the 2014 European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, Spain.

"Sugar consumption is also linked to hyperactive behavior, fatty liver and diabetes," King says, "and it feeds Candida albicans, a yeast-like fungus that can cause numerous health problems."

King explains that sugar causes the pancreas to spike its insulin output. "Surprisingly," he says, "non-calorie sweeteners are no better, since the pancreas is tricked into thinking sugar is present, and it responds in the same way. In fact, research suggests that diet sodas may actually cause people to gain weight, not lose it."

"Sugar also lowers the immune system for hours after ingestion," King says. "When your kids want a sweet treat, offer a small bunch of fresh grapes or an apple."

Parents may not be able to change old habits overnight, but they can gradually remove sugary foods from their family's diet, and teach children that sugar is not their friend.

King recommends these creative Halloween alternatives to candy:

1. Play-Doh
2. Bubbles
3. Bouncy balls
4. Yo-yos
5. Stickers

"Abundant health is the goal," King encourages. "Overcoming the sugar habit is easier when people simply enhance what I call the eight essential areas of life (nutrition, nature, fitness, sleep, the human spirit, hands-on techniques, water, and relationships). Saying 'no' to sugar will reap tremendous rewards."