Tricks to View Halloween as a Treat!

Having a chronic illness and being a parent can often make you feel like it’s always Halloween. You sometimes wear a chef’s hat, a maid’s uniform, and almost always, a superhero cape.  You pretend to feel well and have unlimited energy for your family. Halloween can seem scary – costumes, trick or treating, and parties all require a lot of your energy. But hopefully with some tricks, you can view Halloween as a treat this year!

Costumes

What is Halloween without dressing up as your favorite character, princess, or animal? Let’s start with babies. First, they are adorable in EVERYTHING. You can throw on a cute pumpkin hat or pajamas with teddy bear ears and you’re done. Yes, you’ll want to make your child’s first Halloween special, but you can do that with an easy costume and a photo shoot at a pumpkin patch.

Costumes can be expensive – especially for a baby, an older child, or a teenager that will only wear it once. But toddlers and grade school children often get a lot of use out of their costume. I have photos from when my daughter was 3 and she is wearing her Cinderella dress in at least half of them. For this age group, it helps to lessen the sticker shock when you realize you’re basically buying a new favorite outfit, not just a costume.

Think outside the box when it comes to purchasing a costume – you don’t always have to go to the party/costume store and spend a lot. Consider holding on to your children’s costumes and asking other parents to do the same. Then, in addition to swapping clothes and toys, you can get an almost new costume for your child with little effort on your part. Try going to a thrift store where you can find packaged costumes as well as sports jerseys, prom dresses, old uniforms, and more to put together an inexpensive costume. Craft stores often sell children’s costumes, have great coupons, and can be much less chaotic than visiting a costume store.

School Parties

Most elementary schools have a Halloween class party and a costume parade. Parents are often asked to provide snacks, drinks, décor, etc. Consider putting together treat bags but make sure your children help. You can buy bags of Halloween themed erasers, bubbles, snacks, toys, etc. online or at your local Target, Walmart, or dollar store. Have your child count out the bags and fill each with one item at a time. Instead of tying a ribbon on the bag, use twist ties which are much easier on your hands and children can often do them on their own.

But, if you’re really struggling, it’s also fine to say no. There’s a whole community of parents at school to help make Halloween special for all of the kids. It’s ok to rely on your village.

Pumpkins

The thought of carving a pumpkin makes me instantly think of how much my hands will inevitably hurt afterwards. Luckily, you don’t have to carve a pumpkin for it to be Halloween ready. There are inexpensive kits that come with all you need to turn your pumpkin into a clown, a cat, and so much more. You can also paint your pumpkin – let your children cover it in glow-in-the-dark paint. If you insist on carving the pumpkin, look for tools with strong handles and have help on scooping out the insides. Don’t worry about your carving skills! Once you put a candle (or better yet, glow sticks) inside the pumpkin, it will look fantastic!

Trick or Treating

Getting up and down every time the doorbell rings can make your body angry if you have a chronic illness. If the weather is nice, consider setting up a comfy chair out front with your treats nearby. You still get to see all of the neighborhood kids in their costumes while remaining comfortable. There is also nothing wrong with setting out a bowl of candy with a “please take one” sign.

Walking your little one around the neighborhood on Halloween can be painful and exhausting if you don’t plan ahead. This goes without saying, but ask for help. Is there a neighborhood teenager who would want to make a few dollars taking your child trick or treating? Is your child older and would the parent of one of his friends agree to bring him along in exchange for a playdate?

Trick or treating also doesn’t have to be done in your neighborhood. A lot of shopping malls have Halloween events with trick or treating. These can be great because you’re inside and don’t have to worry about curbs, hills, or uneven sidewalks. Plus, there are bathrooms everywhere!

No matter what, remember that Halloween is about having fun and creating your own memories. Those might be scary movies on the couch with candy and popcorn or trick or treating around the mall. Spending time with your children is all that matters.