Let's keep Halloween the way it is

Last night Isabella dressed up as a pretty impressive Zombie (I did her makeup, trust me it’s impressive). She nervously walked to the first house and stood timidly at the door. After some encouragement from Johnny and me she knocked ever so quietly and stood patiently waiting for the door to open. Once it did, she said “Trick or Treat” and then “Thank You” as the homeowner placed several treats in her plastic pumpkin bucket. What a rush she must have felt because after that first house there was no stopping her! “This way, they have a light on.” We got home, she ate 3 pieces of candy, and she went to bed.

It was a pretty good night.

And then social media happened...

“Kids shouldn’t be dressing up at school...   Let’s take the candy away and have healthy parties instead of trick or treating...  Candy is making our kids fat...”

If you are the kind of parent that has a kid who can’t self regulate then sure, maybe the 40 mini Snickers you allow them to eat in one night is unhealthy and adding to the problem of childhood obesity. When did it become okay to dictate how other people raise their kids? When did our generation lose their minds?

I’ve taught my daughter well enough that when I say no to more than 3 treats she says okay and the moment is over. I as her parent have set and enforced those boundaries since her first little costume went on. That is MY responsibility as her parent. Halloween is a highlight of the year for her. The excitement of seeing what the homeowner picks to put in your bag is almost as exciting as opening a Christmas present. There are 364 other days in a year that her eating habits can be closely monitored by those other than the one who gave birth to her.

Leave her and her chocolate covered costume alone!