Over the years, we have heard about the possiblity that sugar causes hyperactivity in children. I have read the arguments on both sides but remained undecided about who to believe. I am no longer undecided.
On Friday, six of my children received a bucket full of candy. Despite the fact that I rationed it - so as to avoid having to deal with six barfing kiddos - they still consumed far more than normal.
Within a half hour, they were all racing around the house, yelling, and bouncing off the walls. We finally wrestled them into their beds, hoping that they were just excited about trick-or-treating, and that sanity would return the next morning.
That was not to be.
The following day was SaraGrace's birthday, so now we had cake, ice cream, candy, and the left-over cupcakes from the school Halloween party. Jeff and I did our best to hold the kids back, but a ridiculous amount of sugar was scarfed before noon. They soon began running in circles, hooting and hollaring, and being generally obnoxious. I told them to calm down at which point, Molly, who was talking only several decibels below deafening and kicking her legs in the air, said, "Why? We're not being wild!"
My scientific conclusion: Yes, sugar makes kids hyper and if you don't believe me, I hope you will offer to babysit them the day after Halloween next year.
