United We Stand-In A Pumpkin Patch
© Julie J. Murelle
As a child I remember the wonder and excitement, as my friends and I would wear our costumes to school and then after school the fun would begin to mount as the time for trick or treating would draw near. It was the one night in the year that we could actually walk around outside at night and receive tons of candy. The street would fill with children, in all sorts of costumes. Magic was in the air.
Even without all the horror that is going on in the world, Halloween has been getting more restricted. With the addition of gangs and just crazy people in general, new measures have to be taken to protect our little ones.
A couple of Halloweens ago, my nephew was mugged by a group of older kids and he had all of his candy stolen. We have been urged to trick or treat in the day light as opposed to the nighttime. But this year, we have the fear of anthrax (and God knows what else) as well. For many parents, this risk is not one that they are willing to take. And who can blame us? It is one thing to take a stand as an adult and say, I will not let the terrorists win by making me frightened about living, it is quite another to put the children we adore and are responsible for in the line of fire. Here is a link to Smart Spooking on AOL. (http://www.parenting.com/parenting/featu...
Unfortunately, it seems like our fear is just what the terrorists want and the addition of the rumor of their being trouble at the malls on Halloween (see article at this link http://www.governmentguide.com/govsite.a... yet another option for safe trick or treating is in question. Even though they do not have evidence of this rumor being true, I have yet to find any data that completely discounts it either. The reports say that it has been checked-in to and that it is unfounded, but there seems to be no explanation of why they are saying it is unfounded. Because of this, I will not be going to the mall on Halloween. Score one for the terrorists.
So, Halloween will not be the same for our children as it was for us. There are alternatives. Many churches are offering parties and festivities. For me and mine, we will be going to one of my sister's houses and we will trick or treat, but only the houses where my sister knows the person and then we will return home after the modified outing, to eat pizza and watch some age appropriate videos. I also bought a bunch of candy and I will make up extra large bags for the neighborhood children that I know and the children in my own family. I have heard that the hospitals will x-ray the candy for you, if you decide to trick or treat, but will they be doing chemical tests as well?
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