Darren & Mo spoke with Family Therapist, Best Selling Author, Columnist & friend of the show, Alyson Schafer about Halloween.

  1. We keep saying Halloween has been cancelled and that is a huge overstatement. There is a LOT to Halloween and it started at the beginning of the month. House decorations, retail stores…It’s everywhere and it has a fun spirit that can be felt in the air.
  2. Parental Attitudes Shape Children’s Attitudes. Children are incredibly resilient. I am concerned with this pandemic that the natural positivity of children to rebound and get on is being stifled by parents, adults. When we express pity we are sending a message that says “you can’t manage”.  When we say “why must the child suffer again – they already lost so much” we send a message that says they are being put upon and they are entitled or owed.   It would be healthier psychologically speaking to say “its tough times but we will manage, yes, its said, but what are you gonna do? we’ll make the best of those things we can control.”
  3. The Parts We Can Control: Perhaps the best part of COVID is it rattled us awake. We can’t fall back to all the old traditions so we have to re-imagine them – and with fresh eyes are were coming up with even more eventful fun different ways to live. It has not been a tradition to do yoga in your driveway with all your neighbours, or to sing on your balcony with the neighbours but we love it.  Same will come with Halloween.  Perhaps everyone will go for a family bike ride dressed in costume on Oct 31 now.  Perhaps candy hunts like scavenger hunts add a whole “geo cashing sleuthing element” instead of door knocking.
  4. About that door knocking – it’s the part kids hate the most. They don’t want to strike up a conversation with some unknown adult. They endure it becuase they want the candy and maybe to have a stranger like their costume they are proud. They like that it is celebratory, different, novel, out with friends, exciting and spookey – so find safe ways to add novelty and excitement to the night.

 

 

  1. ALTERNATE IDEAS:
  • watch Halloween themed movies
  • zoom pumpkin carving with family members in your costumes
  • scary games like sticking hand in bowl of eyeballs ( peeled grapes)
  • decorate your car and dress in costumes and go look at great decorated houses or visit a ghost town / drive through boo barn.

 6: DON’T’s

  • go outside the GTA to door knock in another community that is not a hot spot
  • create conflict with friends / family when others make different decisions than you about following the covid rules

@alysonschafer on social platforms
Helping you lower the stress of raising kids – one tip at a time.

Filed under: #ICYMI #DARREN&MO