The rumor that ran rampant when I was little was the “razor blades in candy” story.  Do you remember that? I am not sure it ever happened!  I think it was an urban legend that everyone glommed onto, and we spent years unwrapping candy and poking it.  Now, the fears of razor blades in caramels are largely finished.

These days, instead of irrational razor blade fears, we have an entirely new extreme:

HALLOWEEN OVERLOAD.

The catalogues for costumes arrive at the end of August, and the candy hits the shelves directly after Labor Day.  Our kids are inundated with witches, goblins, ghosts, Frankensteins, skeletons, and jack-o-lanterns so early, and they love it!  They sing pumpkin songs and cannot wait to wear their fireman and princess costumes.

The problem?  Children have active imaginations that RUN WILD.  We cannot wait to take Instagram after Instagram of the cute kids, but by the time Halloween actually rolls around, the kids are exhausted and overwhelmed.

So, when this great day rolls around, how we protect the kiddos from a scary Halloween meltdown?

  • Watch the exposure to the scary stuff.  Nightmares in children peak between the ages of 3 and 6!  With the uptick of TV shows and the music, (not to mention the Halloween aisle in CVS!), your children take those creepily fun images and plunk them right into their subconscious.  Don’t be surprised to see an increase in nightmares, fears at night, wanting the light on, questions and worries related to death, and wanting a parent nearby.  Treat these worries with patience and empathy, and then LIMIT exposure.
  • Monitor the sugar intake.  The candy enters into the home weeks before Halloween and the kids can start to snack (as well as Mom and Dad!)  Keep sugars to a minimum; children’s young brains are easily yanked around by the candy spikes, and it can interfere with their ability to sleep, focus, and eat healthier options.  Poor sleep, focus, and nutrition equals tantrums and meltdowns.
  • Keep expectations low.  If your child is school-age, there is a high likelihood that he or she will attend neighborhood, school, and park parties.  By the time the real trick-or-treating comes along, your child is BURNT OUT!  On Halloween night, get the costume on, take a picture, and then let it go.  You may get to a house to trick-or-treat, you may not.  But don’t plan to go to parties, grandmom’s house, and the local park parade…not unless you are trying to have the most frightful of nights! 

Have a fun and safe holiday!