Understandable

My Halloween experience

Yesterday, I got off work and rushed home. I was super excited to take my 17 month old son trick or treating for the first time. We met some friends in a neighborhood and set off. Nobody told me that the neighborhood would be like hiking in the mountains. So after chasing him around for about 15 minutes, my 9-month pregnant wife started having cramps and could not walk anymore. So I loaded her into the wagon and dragged her all across the neighborhood, while also having to chase my son around (the dude never stops). My wife then started having contractions, so I called my friend to pick us up and take us back to our car, all the while my son was screaming at me and clawing me for picking him up and carrying him. We stayed for about 45 minutes and he got about 2 pieces of candy (I was looking forward to eating a lot of candy after he went to sleep).

Those 45 minutes were all I needed to figure out that Halloween is now my least favorite holiday, and it's not particularly close.

Re: My Halloween experience

BigCUFan®

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Understandable "rookie" mistakes, but hang in there!

Nov 1, 2023, 8:36 AM

A few suggestions from a well-experienced Halloween veteran.

1 - Leave your wife at home (especially if she's 9-months pregnant) to answer the door and hand-out candy, or she can just turn off the lights and nap on the couch until you and the kids get home. She'll enjoy the break.

2 - Put the young'uns is a wagon and pull them around the neighborhood. Makes it A LOT easier to maintain control and you don't end-up carrying them when they get tired. As they got older, we'd hook-up a trailer to the back of a 4-wheeler or a golf cart to accommodate all their neighborhood friends.

3 - Start early...before dark = finishing early.

4 - Make them pee before you head-out or you'll be looking for a bathroom about the time you reach the opposite end of the neighborhood.

5 - Don't let the kiddos eat too much candy during or after trick or treating. Otherwise, they'll be up half the night with either a tummy ache, a sugar high, or both.

6 - Explain the "Dad tax" to them and apply it.

Another option to consider if you don't want to hike the neighborhood, local churches will often host "trunk or treat" events. It's a lot less walking and just as much candy.

They grow up fast so enjoy them while you can and have fun.