Hey Mac Kid Families,
Let's talk treat or treating.
I'm sure that what I am about to say will secretly resonate with many of you, despite the fact that it is not considered to be the accepted opinion of most parents.
Except that I'd be willing to put money on the fact that it is.... their opinion, that is.
I have been a parent for over 20 years now, and I have a pretty wide age gap between my three kids. My youngest is now eleven. So I feel like I can speak from experience when I say...
I DO NOT LOVE TRICK OR TREATING.
Yup, I said it. Here's why.
👻 I don't love answering the door a million times starting at 4:30pm, when I am trying to get my own kids fed, dressed, and out the door. Yes, the little kids at my door are adorable (except that one who expressed his displeasure at my candy choices by calling me a poopy butt... I didn't care too much for him). I will give you that.
👻 I don't love the stress of picking the perfect costume, but also having to consider what can and cannot be worn for the Halloween party at school.
👻 I don't love creating an amazing Halloween costume for my kid, only to have him change his mind two days before Halloween. I understand that I do not have to accommodate that request, but you know how they are. They. Will. Not. Drop. It.
👻 I don't love the chaos of trying to squeeze in a creative Halloween dinner (or even a totally lame one) while trying to get to the trick or treating portion of the evening.
👻 I don't love trick or treating in the snow. And except for two or three of the last twenty years, it has snowed on Halloween here in Colorado. Soooo.... YAY for that!
👻 I don't love the do we or don't we trick or treat with friends, or the do we or don't we go to the full size candy bar neighborhood, or the do we or don't we let the older one go off on their own decisions we have to make when planning our trick or treating excursion.
👻 I don't love having to make sure that we get over to Grandpa and Grandma's house to show off our costumes, which is usually at the end of the night and means I end up having to drag a half asleep child out to the car and up to bed.
👻 I don't love having to check a bazillion pieces of candy for razors and open seams because you KNOW if I don't, some foul play will have inevitably occurred that will damage my offspring somehow.
👻 I don't love the candy argument that happens after the spoils have been collected. The kids are either asking for candy every other minute, or they are sneaking it to eat under their bed. My three year old (at the time) daughter legit hid under the kitchen table with a pixie stick one year and said to me, "You do not see me. I am sneaking candy to eat right now." Give me strength. (And who chooses a Pixie Stick???)
👻 I don't love the wasted, rejected candy that sits around until Christmas. Although, I will admit, I do like having it available for creating our gingerbread houses. But I digress.
I liked trick or treating once upon a time, when my little kiddos wandered from house to house, their eyes sparkling with excitement. I truly love seeing my older kids have a ton of fun on Halloween.
But if I'm being honest, when Halloween rolls around these days, I'd rather stay home while my kids go have their spooky fun. I tried that one year while the hubs took the kids out. And I felt guilty.
I am guessing that I am not the only one who feels this way, especially if you've been doing the trick or treat thing for awhile. And I'm guessing that, if you have stayed home to "pass out candy", you might feel a little guilty, too.
So, I guess I'll probably suck it up for a few more years. I'm sure that I will miss having the trick or treating opportunity when my kids are all grown. But not to worry, then I can look forward to my grandkids coming over to show off their costumes, and I will chuckle when my children have to drag a half asleep child out to the car and up to bed.
I'm already laughing, through a few sentimental tears, at the thought.
Happy Trick or Treating!
Peace ☮️, Love ❤️, & Macaroni 🌼,
Christen
