“Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.”
~Steve Almond
Have you ever met a kid who didn’t like Halloween? Me neither. It isn’t as cool as Christmas, but after a childhood spent hearing that we should never accept candy from strangers, it’s a pillowcase of giggles to wait ’til dark, then pretend we’re someone else as we’re escorted door to door in a procession of panhandling pleasure.
My memories of Halloween are all frosted in sugar. Even the year my best friend Jimmy and I had our bags snatched by a group of teenagers dressed as hoodlums (though now that I think about it, those probably weren’t costumes). That evening still ended with more candy than my body could process.
The magic of Halloween is trimmed with pretend. As children, we employ our imagination regardless of season, but it is on October’s last nightfall, when our activities are sanctioned, and we are rewarded for our performance with double the sugar it would take to embarrass a Ding Dong. A haul which makes even the best of parents reevaluate their clan’s confectionary commandments; more than enough to make a regular sugar high, teeter toward an overdose.
If we would ever like a clue how our little ones might behave, taller and stronger, away from us and inebriated, it’s easy enough to create the conditions. Halloween might just be the best day of the year to do it.
In my house, too much sugar and not enough sleep is a perfect recipe. Already, Daisy and I peer toward tomorrow, so we can see our Mia tipsy. Though calmly terrified, we’ve arrived at the conclusion that the knowledge has come early so that we may observe and initiate new behavior, rather than remain where we are and react when it’s too late.
We have more than a decade to steer her steady. Really, how different is it, learning to control our impulses? Isn’t alcohol just fermented sugar?
A dozen sentences back, I was only speculating, but I believe hypothesis is turning to theory right beneath my fingers. Teaching Mia to work through her punchiness while sick with sugar, is perhaps doing her (and ourselves) a giant favor. Can you imagine if our parents had had the foresight to teach us to safely navigate our way through inebriation. Wouldn’t you have wanted to drop a thank you card in the mail about a thousand times during your twenties?
Let’s do the hard work now, and save our offspring from a distant future filled with “Now, how did I wind up here?” or “Really? Gee, I don’t remember any of that.” Let’s buck up, band together, and do what needs to be done; lock the doors and hand over the treats.
Halloween’s on Friday this year. Let the kids go to town. Just remember, you’re still the sheriff and you can get better sleep if you need too.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
About Sean Platt
aww! An apperance of the elusive and terrifying punchicito, huh? Kiss Mia and Max for me and tell them I said Happy Halloween.
aww! An apperance of the elusive and terrifying punchicito, huh? Kiss Mia and Max for me and tell them I said Happy Halloween.
A nice message WriterDad. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Drunk on sugar.
Giddy happy children suddenly moved to aggressive little fighting machines and then back to giddy silliness. It’s funny but also troubling.
We do allow ours to eat sweets but they’re given as treats rather than as a part of their everyday diet. It’s a balancing act. I don’t want to over indulge them but then again I don’t want them running off to the Quan while my back is turned.
Today for the first time, I’ll be giving my children a taste of Halloween, including the sugar bombs. Stand well back.
Dave Fowlers last blog post..I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
A nice message WriterDad. I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Drunk on sugar.
Giddy happy children suddenly moved to aggressive little fighting machines and then back to giddy silliness. It’s funny but also troubling.
We do allow ours to eat sweets but they’re given as treats rather than as a part of their everyday diet. It’s a balancing act. I don’t want to over indulge them but then again I don’t want them running off to the Quan while my back is turned.
Today for the first time, I’ll be giving my children a taste of Halloween, including the sugar bombs. Stand well back.
Dave Fowlers last blog post..I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
“…as we’re escorted door to door in a procession of panhandling pleasure.”
What a great description of the act of trick-or-treating!
This is something Liz and I ponder as we look at our eventual diaper days. We’re pretty settled on the idea that we will let them enjoy themselves as they eat from their sea of sugar daddies, but we plan to regulate it to some degree. Like Dave said, I think the key is a healthy diet most of the time; balance. But the last thing you want is to make it too big a deal. It’s often the kids with the most ‘restrictions’ from their parents who become the biggest sugar fiends of the bunch.
Eric Hamms last blog post..M2A! October Week4: The Benefits Of Intentionally Stressing Your System
“…as we’re escorted door to door in a procession of panhandling pleasure.”
What a great description of the act of trick-or-treating!
This is something Liz and I ponder as we look at our eventual diaper days. We’re pretty settled on the idea that we will let them enjoy themselves as they eat from their sea of sugar daddies, but we plan to regulate it to some degree. Like Dave said, I think the key is a healthy diet most of the time; balance. But the last thing you want is to make it too big a deal. It’s often the kids with the most ‘restrictions’ from their parents who become the biggest sugar fiends of the bunch.
Eric Hamms last blog post..M2A! October Week4: The Benefits Of Intentionally Stressing Your System
This year, on top of the mounds of candy they will gather inside 30 minutes, we’ll be going to a bonfire with s’mores, too!
Bring on the sugar!
Kool Aids last blog post..A Rebirth
This year, on top of the mounds of candy they will gather inside 30 minutes, we’ll be going to a bonfire with s’mores, too!
Bring on the sugar!
Kool Aids last blog post..A Rebirth
I remember saving one Halloween’s haul for a year. Not that I saved all of it, but I kept it in a shoebox and rationed it well. I was quite proud of myself. Other years I really did overdose, but I think that was more the fault of houses giving out way too much candy corn and not enough snickers.
I remember saving one Halloween’s haul for a year. Not that I saved all of it, but I kept it in a shoebox and rationed it well. I was quite proud of myself. Other years I really did overdose, but I think that was more the fault of houses giving out way too much candy corn and not enough snickers.
My dad always made us put our candy in milk jugs. We stuffed it in piece by piece and so you could never just gorge on ‘available’ candy. And if you wanted a specific piece of candy, it could take 20 minutes to shake that bad boy out.
It was annoying at the time, but I am SO doing that with our kids!
Hayden Tompkinss last blog post..Men, Oh God Do I Salute You!
My dad always made us put our candy in milk jugs. We stuffed it in piece by piece and so you could never just gorge on ‘available’ candy. And if you wanted a specific piece of candy, it could take 20 minutes to shake that bad boy out.
It was annoying at the time, but I am SO doing that with our kids!
Hayden Tompkinss last blog post..Men, Oh God Do I Salute You!
Amish don’t trick or treat, and the rest of our neighbors are, well, more than a little scary all year long. For us, Halloween will be roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making s’mores, and enjoying the last few moments of snow-free weather in Ohio.
Happy Halloween to the Platt family and to the Writer Dad community.
Jamie Simmermans last blog post..3 Super Easy Steps to Attract More Readers
Amish don’t trick or treat, and the rest of our neighbors are, well, more than a little scary all year long. For us, Halloween will be roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making s’mores, and enjoying the last few moments of snow-free weather in Ohio.
Happy Halloween to the Platt family and to the Writer Dad community.
Jamie Simmermans last blog post..3 Super Easy Steps to Attract More Readers
You sound like one of those Cool Parents, who can stop obsessing over carrot sticks for one day a year, and just let their kids have fun trick or treating.
I bet you give out great treats too, and not APPLES or TOOTHBRUSHES, like some of the Crunchy-Granola parents do. (Gawd…that is SO LAME!!!!)
You sound like one of those Cool Parents, who can stop obsessing over carrot sticks for one day a year, and just let their kids have fun trick or treating.
I bet you give out great treats too, and not APPLES or TOOTHBRUSHES, like some of the Crunchy-Granola parents do. (Gawd…that is SO LAME!!!!)
I think I’m the one who gets feeling tipsy, after the kids are high on sugar and buzzingbuzzingbuzzing around me in circles…
GreenJellos last blog post..What Am I?
I think I’m the one who gets feeling tipsy, after the kids are high on sugar and buzzingbuzzingbuzzing around me in circles…
GreenJellos last blog post..What Am I?
Halloween is definitely tied with Christmas for my favourite holiday.
I say let the kids loose!
Janines last blog post..Nose-Diving into Economic Turmoil.
Halloween is definitely tied with Christmas for my favourite holiday.
I say let the kids loose!
Janines last blog post..Nose-Diving into Economic Turmoil.
Oh, I’m such a Grinch about it – the Evil Genius is permitted at most a couple of pieces from his haul – the rest is put away and doled out on occasion as treats or desert. He’s already a nutball, he doesn’t need the sugar to help his craziness!
This year, he’ll be dressed (for a few minutes, anyway) as a ghost.
I get a kick out of the kids who have homemade costumes, and tend to give them more candy.
I hope y’all have a blast – I loved Halloween as a kid, and I love it again as a Mum who gets to watch her child enter into the fun.
I also dig the idea of using the sugar-high as a teaching tool for later in life. Very cool.
So, off I go to bake pumpkin cake, roast seeds, carve more pumpkins (so.many.pumpkins), bake bread, and generally make my house smell good and flouring the kitchen.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Kyddryns last blog post..Samhain
Oh, I’m such a Grinch about it – the Evil Genius is permitted at most a couple of pieces from his haul – the rest is put away and doled out on occasion as treats or desert. He’s already a nutball, he doesn’t need the sugar to help his craziness!
This year, he’ll be dressed (for a few minutes, anyway) as a ghost.
I get a kick out of the kids who have homemade costumes, and tend to give them more candy.
I hope y’all have a blast – I loved Halloween as a kid, and I love it again as a Mum who gets to watch her child enter into the fun.
I also dig the idea of using the sugar-high as a teaching tool for later in life. Very cool.
So, off I go to bake pumpkin cake, roast seeds, carve more pumpkins (so.many.pumpkins), bake bread, and generally make my house smell good and flouring the kitchen.
Shade and Sweetwater,
K
Kyddryns last blog post..Samhain
My theory was let them gorge on it. They did so for 24 hours max, and then it just sat around, to be finally thrown out. They are all adults now, and not one of them has a sweet tooth.
Do you really think that a teenager or young twenty-something is going to equate Hallowe’en candy navigation with alcohol navigation? Nice try, Sean, but I’m not buying it. *grin*
Urban Panthers last blog post..Theme Fiction Friday – At last
My theory was let them gorge on it. They did so for 24 hours max, and then it just sat around, to be finally thrown out. They are all adults now, and not one of them has a sweet tooth.
Do you really think that a teenager or young twenty-something is going to equate Hallowe’en candy navigation with alcohol navigation? Nice try, Sean, but I’m not buying it. *grin*
Urban Panthers last blog post..Theme Fiction Friday – At last
Writer Dad, sometimes I think sugar is the root of all addictions. I know that I’ve had more trouble controlling sugar intake than anything else. I quit nicotine and caffeine cold turkey and really haven’t looked back, but sugar continues to bedevil me.
So, good thinking, I say. I would have loved it if my parents had treated alcohol (for us kids) as if it were part of life, something that you had to learn to deal with. It’s a better approach than acting as if it’s verboten.
Beth Partins last blog post..Fridays at Restoration Nation
Writer Dad, sometimes I think sugar is the root of all addictions. I know that I’ve had more trouble controlling sugar intake than anything else. I quit nicotine and caffeine cold turkey and really haven’t looked back, but sugar continues to bedevil me.
So, good thinking, I say. I would have loved it if my parents had treated alcohol (for us kids) as if it were part of life, something that you had to learn to deal with. It’s a better approach than acting as if it’s verboten.
Beth Partins last blog post..Fridays at Restoration Nation
My kid is always allowed to eat as much candy as she wants this one night of the year — after she eats at least 3 oz of lean protein. She usually stops after about 10 pieces of candy anyway (after giving me the ones I love but she doesn’t – the Dots and the Baby Ruth’s. Umm, umm, umm!)
However, I would never ever condone that attitude with alcohol. Sure honey, eat a burger and go ahead and slug back 12 beers if you want. I don’t think so.
Jannies last blog post..How much are you paying?
My kid is always allowed to eat as much candy as she wants this one night of the year — after she eats at least 3 oz of lean protein. She usually stops after about 10 pieces of candy anyway (after giving me the ones I love but she doesn’t – the Dots and the Baby Ruth’s. Umm, umm, umm!)
However, I would never ever condone that attitude with alcohol. Sure honey, eat a burger and go ahead and slug back 12 beers if you want. I don’t think so.
Jannies last blog post..How much are you paying?
When I used to Trick or Treat, I would usually come home with a bag full of candy. I would spill it all out on the floor and go through and pick out the pieces I wanted (which were usually few and far between) and would put the rest back in the bag and give it to my mom. I never knew what she did with the candy, probably threw it away or something.
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
When I used to Trick or Treat, I would usually come home with a bag full of candy. I would spill it all out on the floor and go through and pick out the pieces I wanted (which were usually few and far between) and would put the rest back in the bag and give it to my mom. I never knew what she did with the candy, probably threw it away or something.
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
Interesting take on Halloween.
I often think to myself that these are the years when I still have influence… I can still guide and teach. Very soon, my 9 years old will stop listening to me and turn to her friends for everything. Scary thought. But if the foundations that we lay now are strong enough, hopefully she – and we – will survive her teens and twenties.
Vered – MomGrinds last blog post..Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Interesting take on Halloween.
I often think to myself that these are the years when I still have influence… I can still guide and teach. Very soon, my 9 years old will stop listening to me and turn to her friends for everything. Scary thought. But if the foundations that we lay now are strong enough, hopefully she – and we – will survive her teens and twenties.
Vered – MomGrinds last blog post..Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Megan: I will, though we may not see Punchicito tonight. She is sick with a fever. Saddy.
Dave Fowler: Thanks for making me smile at mention of the Quan. Halloween’s the one day of the year where children can go to town with candy. Throw it all away the next day if you’d like, but usually they’ll get it out of their system quickly. When something’s buried treasure, we always want it more.
Eric: Absolutely true. The most restricted kids I knew growing up, were the ones who went to town later. And I don’t just mean in regards to sugar.
Kool Aid: You just made my tummy rumble. MMM…. S’mores.
Oktober Five: I did that one year too. Candy corn… that’s like feet candy.
Hayden: The jug idea is actually a good one. Maybe that’s what we should do with our leftovers tomorrow. Lord knows we have enough milk jugs (we go through one a day).
Jamie: Your Halloween sounds awesome. Have fun with the family.
Friar: Apples and toothbrushes = Super lame. High fructose corn syrup on Halloween = Awesome.
Green Jello: I’ve definitely been there. At least it’s on Friday and their system is likely to urge their little bodies to sleep in a little.
Janine: Woo-hoo! Throw your hands in the air.
Kyddryn: Homemade costumes are the best. The worst? The teenage kids who want candy, but don’t even bother to dress up, the kids who don’t say thank you, and the parents who don’t demand it.
Urban Panther: Just a little mental doodle. I’m surprised it took a dozen comments for someone to call me on it. Good job being ahead of the curve, Panther. And Happy Halloween.
Beth: My wife’s the same way. She kicks sugar, but it always comes knocking on her door. She knows exactly how bad it is, but it’s such a nagging craving. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I LOVE carbs. I love no food more than pasta, and can easily eat a pound a sitting, while searching the room for more. It’s definitely not a good idea to over restrict our children with everything. As humans, we often crave the forbidden.
Jannie: Yes. That would be a bad, bad idea. It is amazing how they really will stop by themselves with the candy. We’ve found the same thing. They have permission to eat all they want, but they’ve yet to go too far.
Sal: She ate it while you were at school. Are you guys going trick or treating this year?
Vered: There is no doubt in my mind.
Megan: I will, though we may not see Punchicito tonight. She is sick with a fever. Saddy.
Dave Fowler: Thanks for making me smile at mention of the Quan. Halloween’s the one day of the year where children can go to town with candy. Throw it all away the next day if you’d like, but usually they’ll get it out of their system quickly. When something’s buried treasure, we always want it more.
Eric: Absolutely true. The most restricted kids I knew growing up, were the ones who went to town later. And I don’t just mean in regards to sugar.
Kool Aid: You just made my tummy rumble. MMM…. S’mores.
Oktober Five: I did that one year too. Candy corn… that’s like feet candy.
Hayden: The jug idea is actually a good one. Maybe that’s what we should do with our leftovers tomorrow. Lord knows we have enough milk jugs (we go through one a day).
Jamie: Your Halloween sounds awesome. Have fun with the family.
Friar: Apples and toothbrushes = Super lame. High fructose corn syrup on Halloween = Awesome.
Green Jello: I’ve definitely been there. At least it’s on Friday and their system is likely to urge their little bodies to sleep in a little.
Janine: Woo-hoo! Throw your hands in the air.
Kyddryn: Homemade costumes are the best. The worst? The teenage kids who want candy, but don’t even bother to dress up, the kids who don’t say thank you, and the parents who don’t demand it.
Urban Panther: Just a little mental doodle. I’m surprised it took a dozen comments for someone to call me on it. Good job being ahead of the curve, Panther. And Happy Halloween.
Beth: My wife’s the same way. She kicks sugar, but it always comes knocking on her door. She knows exactly how bad it is, but it’s such a nagging craving. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I LOVE carbs. I love no food more than pasta, and can easily eat a pound a sitting, while searching the room for more. It’s definitely not a good idea to over restrict our children with everything. As humans, we often crave the forbidden.
Jannie: Yes. That would be a bad, bad idea. It is amazing how they really will stop by themselves with the candy. We’ve found the same thing. They have permission to eat all they want, but they’ve yet to go too far.
Sal: She ate it while you were at school. Are you guys going trick or treating this year?
Vered: There is no doubt in my mind.
We used to fill multiple pillowcases (!) with candy. I didn’t much care for candy though, so most of mine went to waste. Our neighborhood had trick-or-treating last night. I can’t say that much has changed over the years. Standard candy fare being given out, with the exception of some people giving cans and bottles of soda. I never received any liquids on Halloween when I was younger. Perhaps they didn’t have candy and just grabbed whatever was in the fridge. I did notice some people giving out money. How very… kind and affluent of them.
Ah, well. There was a nice little bag of treats on my desk when I arrived at work this morning, so I am licking the chocolate off my fingers as I type. Makes for a messy keyboard and for some rocking blood sugar levels, but totally worth it.
Happy Halloween!
We used to fill multiple pillowcases (!) with candy. I didn’t much care for candy though, so most of mine went to waste. Our neighborhood had trick-or-treating last night. I can’t say that much has changed over the years. Standard candy fare being given out, with the exception of some people giving cans and bottles of soda. I never received any liquids on Halloween when I was younger. Perhaps they didn’t have candy and just grabbed whatever was in the fridge. I did notice some people giving out money. How very… kind and affluent of them.
Ah, well. There was a nice little bag of treats on my desk when I arrived at work this morning, so I am licking the chocolate off my fingers as I type. Makes for a messy keyboard and for some rocking blood sugar levels, but totally worth it.
Happy Halloween!
@WD: We usually take the kids to our church. They have a Fall Festival there, but since they are sick, we may just dress them up and let them romp around the living room for a bit, just to get some sort of use out of the costumes we spent X number of dollars on. Depends on the weather and how they are feeling later this evening. How about you?
Hey, did anyone else, as a kid of course, go around the block once, go home and change into another costume and go out again for a second round? I used to put on roller blades for the thrid round just so I could make it in time. Man, those were the years!
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
@WD: We usually take the kids to our church. They have a Fall Festival there, but since they are sick, we may just dress them up and let them romp around the living room for a bit, just to get some sort of use out of the costumes we spent X number of dollars on. Depends on the weather and how they are feeling later this evening. How about you?
Hey, did anyone else, as a kid of course, go around the block once, go home and change into another costume and go out again for a second round? I used to put on roller blades for the thrid round just so I could make it in time. Man, those were the years!
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
Ah, the sugar highs of childhood. Halloween is my favorite holiday simply because I love costumes and the element of pretend. Have you ever felt drunk not off of candy or alcohol, but from a big, huge meal? Food drunk. It only happened to me once and it was the strangest experience…
Melissa Donovans last blog post..How Writers Can Stay on Top of Their Game
Ah, the sugar highs of childhood. Halloween is my favorite holiday simply because I love costumes and the element of pretend. Have you ever felt drunk not off of candy or alcohol, but from a big, huge meal? Food drunk. It only happened to me once and it was the strangest experience…
Melissa Donovans last blog post..How Writers Can Stay on Top of Their Game
Sal, I can’t honestly remember that far back, but I think I only ever went out once. What a great idea, though!
Beware of the child on rollerblades…she may have been here before!
Beth Partins last blog post..Fridays at Restoration Nation
Sal, I can’t honestly remember that far back, but I think I only ever went out once. What a great idea, though!
Beware of the child on rollerblades…she may have been here before!
Beth Partins last blog post..Fridays at Restoration Nation
@Beth: Yes, any kid that looks like he or she might have the means to circle the block in under 10 minutes, be very weary of! I would suggest asking to see under the mask, tell them it is to verify that they are indeed human as you have seen some actual zombies and warewolves out and about.
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
@Beth: Yes, any kid that looks like he or she might have the means to circle the block in under 10 minutes, be very weary of! I would suggest asking to see under the mask, tell them it is to verify that they are indeed human as you have seen some actual zombies and warewolves out and about.
Sals last blog post..Back Stabbing Doctors – A Halloween Tale
Happy Halloween! I’m 22 and I still think dressing up on Halloween is mandatory. As a kid my friends and I were allowed to eat as much candy as we could hold, and I think the few tummy aches did teach us to not eat so much later. Of course, I was one of those kids who wouldn’t trust that the stove was hot, I had to touch it. *shrugs* That’s just me. I almost wish I could still go trick or treating, not really for the candy, just for the fun of going out dressed up with a bunch of friends and knocking on doors and getting the oohs and aahhs when they realized that some of us really did have imaginations and didn’t wear store bought costumes.
Melissa(today, the rock star)s last blog post..What is Time to a Pig?
Happy Halloween! I’m 22 and I still think dressing up on Halloween is mandatory. As a kid my friends and I were allowed to eat as much candy as we could hold, and I think the few tummy aches did teach us to not eat so much later. Of course, I was one of those kids who wouldn’t trust that the stove was hot, I had to touch it. *shrugs* That’s just me. I almost wish I could still go trick or treating, not really for the candy, just for the fun of going out dressed up with a bunch of friends and knocking on doors and getting the oohs and aahhs when they realized that some of us really did have imaginations and didn’t wear store bought costumes.
Melissa(today, the rock star)s last blog post..What is Time to a Pig?
Since I don’t have kids, I won’t comment on what I would do, or wouldn’t do.
I will only say, candy and Halloween go together like fries and ketchup.
Bamboo Forests last blog post..Make This Halloween a Ghost Dad Halloween
Since I don’t have kids, I won’t comment on what I would do, or wouldn’t do.
I will only say, candy and Halloween go together like fries and ketchup.
Bamboo Forests last blog post..Make This Halloween a Ghost Dad Halloween
Just got back from taking mine out . You hit it on the head. Now it’s time to arrest them, take their candy and and throw them in the can. In otherwords, now I get the fun experience of wrestling them to bed. Maybe I should take them out again to wear them down….then again, maybe not.
Just got back from taking mine out . You hit it on the head. Now it’s time to arrest them, take their candy and and throw them in the can. In otherwords, now I get the fun experience of wrestling them to bed. Maybe I should take them out again to wear them down….then again, maybe not.