Halloween for Tweens
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Posted by Heidi Shelton-Jenck Oct 22, 2006 |
My 10 and 11 year-olds plan to trick-or-treat (Are you kidding? They love candy!). The biggest change I’ve noticed lately is that they've started making plans to trick-or-treat with friends. This began last year, when two buddies from carpool showed up to trick-or-treat. Since our neighborhood is relatively safe, I handed all four of them flashlights, said a quick prayer, and sent them off with precise instructions about their route. (they didn’t know that we could see them the entire time) ~sigh~ Another little sign that my guys are growing up.
We moved from a state that didn’t celebrate Halloween at all in the public schools to one that allows a short fall celebration. Halloween parades, which some of you might remember with extraordinary fondness, have been eliminated from many schools. For tweens this can be a huge relief. The last thing they want to do is embarrass themselves in a stupid costume in front of their friends. For others, it’s a missed opportunity for artistic expression.
I just got an email from my PTA elist group informing me that each classroom will be allowed 20 minutes to eat donuts and drink cider at the end of the day. I find this a relief. When I first began teaching in the previous century, Halloween meant an entire day spent with sugar-hyped children, parents setting up extravagant Halloween party centers, and frequent trips to the bathroom to help children adjust their costumes. Call me a party-pooper, but it got old after my second year of teaching. Tweens usually don’t consider it a thrill to spend an entire day in costumes like first graders do. Many are as relieved as I am that the whole thing has been reduced to a quick snack at the end of the day.
Here is a round-up of interesting Halloween-related articles to help you and your tween plan for Halloween:
Costumes
- Theme party-Halloween costumes
- Halloween Costumes –Quick and Cost Effective
- Spend Money This Halloween
Parties
Some of you live in places that discourage neighborhood trick-or-treating. Others of you don’t celebrate Halloween for personal or religious reasons. If your tween will be trick-or-treating, be sure to check out these Halloween Safety Tips
Whatever your family and school chooses to do, please be safe. I'd love it if you'd share your Halloween thoughts and ideas with us.