Prelude Kids

Kids > Getting Into the Spirit

It’s October, and that means celebrations galore; Halloween is increasingly becoming an excuse to ratchet up the children’s party scene.

words by > Joanne BambErger

WHEN family calendars quickly fi ll up with Thanksgiving and December holiday obligations, is it wise to subject toddlers through teens to an additional round of sugar-fi lled party-hopping? We asked Jen Singer, creator of MommaSaid.net (www..mommasaid.net) and author of 14 Hours ’Til Bedtime, for her tips.

Her fi rst piece of advice? Limit the number of Halloween parties your children attend—especially the little kids. “No kid needs or can handle too much sugared-up fun in one month, and neither can you.” One Halloween, though, Singer forgot to follow her own advice.

“I made the mistake of taking my sons, then aged two and three-and-a-half, to a neighborhood costume party,” remembers Singer. “I dressed my two-year-old in a one-piece dragon costume that had no snaps. I had to fi gure out a way to get him out of his costume to change his diaper while my other son was busy pulling cupcakes off a tray. Plus, I had gotten glitter all over my new pants from the craft activity. I ended up being sweaty, cranky and miserable, and so were my kids by the time we left. They were so small—they would never have known the difference if we had just skipped the party.”

In addition to preventing extreme Halloween-party meltdown, Singer offers a couple more tips she says can help everyone in the family have a better time.

If you have a child with food allergies or dietary restrictions, visit your neighbors the day before with some pre-approved treats. That way, says Singer, your child won’t feel left out when the grown-ups are doling out off-limits goodies to others.

Also, trick-or-treating at dinnertime is a good way to cut down on the sense of being overwhelmed, especially for younger children. Fewer kids are out on the roads and sidewalks between 5:30pm and 6:30pm, and more people are home to greet your children.

Why so many parties?

The fact that there are innumerable Halloween parties makes us wonder— why is so much more attention being paid to Halloween these days? One Halloween expert suggests that the celebrations are a way to connect beyond our usual social circles without the baggage that comes with many of the other holidays we celebrate, and that can be a positive thing, especially for children.

“Halloween is unique from the other rites in our society,” says Susan Walker, associate professor in the Department of Family Studies at the University of Maryland. “While so many of our other holidays ask us to refl ect, remember, honor or be grateful, Halloween is a day based on fun—dressing in costume, playing tricks and getting sweets. It’s a way for children to make a brief connection to their neighbors and feel more connected to their world beyond home and school.”