The buildup to Halloween night can be slow, but once the costume goes on it's over in a flash. But trick-or-treating isn't all you have to prepare for. Here's what you should do after your tween is finished trick-or-treating.

What to Do When Trick-or-Treating is Over

Inspect the Candy: You'll want to make sure your tween's candy loot is safe to eat. Inspect anything your tween collected while trick-or-treating, and be sure to throw out anything that's even remotely suspicious.

Toss any candy that's already open, or past it's expiration date. If your tween has braces, be sure to toss any candies that might tug or pull on braces or their wires -- taffy, popcorn, and gummy candies are especially hard on orthodontic appliances. 

Help Your Tween Pace Himself: If your child came home with a boat load of candy, help him figure out how to make it last. You don't want your tween blowing through all of his candy quickly -- he'll end up sick and disappointed. Encourage your tween to limit candy to just one or two pieces a day -- one after lunch or school, and another after dinner. 

Share the Loot: If your tween came home with a lot of candy, but an older sibling who couldn't go trick-or-treating has none, ask your tween to share a little. It will help the candy disappear quicker, and teach your child the value of sharing what he has. 

Save the Costume: Try to save your tween's costume (or accessories) for next year's Halloween celebration, or for a future costume party, school play or any other event that might require a last minute getup.

You might also use your tween's costume for a younger sibling. Just be sure you remember where you stashed it, in case you need to find a costume quickly. 

Remember the Event: If your child keeps a journal you might ask her to write down her memories of this year's Halloween, for posterity. If you like to keep scrapbooks, or other memory books, be sure to download and print your photos, before you forget you even have them. Sharing photos with grandparents is also a wonderful way to keep them up to date on your child's life. 

Shop the Sales: If you think you might need to stock up on Halloween decorations, costumes, accessories or make-up, the day after Halloween is the day to do it. Visit your local dollar stores, or big bog retailers, and load up on all of next year's Halloween trinkets. You can even stock up on paper goods, or foam pumpkins to carve for next year's celebration. 

Brush Those Teeth: You want your tween to brush his teeth every night and every morning, of course. But you know Halloween night is no night to skip the daily hygiene practice. In fact, you might want to encourage your child to brush a little longer, and floss, just to make up for all that candy he probably ate. Better safe than sorry!