Goblins and ghouls and ghosts, oh my! As Halloween nears, your Bitsy may be antsy with excitement, or even a little…apprehensive! While Halloween is typically known as a holiday for little ones to play dress up and get candy, it’s certainly been conjured into a little bit more as older Halloween fanatics get involved. So how do you decide what is appropriate for your Bitsy, or what is too scary? How do you keep them from being terrified during all of the festivities?
Simply put, Mama, just know your Bitsy! They’ll start to show you what’s too much for them, or what they don’t like, so listen to those cues and act accordingly. There’s also a few tips and tricks you can learn to make Halloween a little more accessible for kids!
Spooky Stuff
The biggest concern many parents have is the inability to control what others do around their child! While you may stick to age-appropriate decor and activities, Mama, you can’t keep your neighbors from decorating with their fave Halloween decor! So what’s a mama to do?
Distinguish real from pretend. Remind your Bitsy that there’s a big difference between what’s real and what’s just pretend or make-believe! Having these conversations ahead of time can help them distinguish when they come across spooky decor later.
Get them acquainted on a safe level. Taking your Bitsy to a Halloween store where they can see the decorations in bright light and with others around. You can also show them decor on a shopping page online — seeing the decorations outside of their spooky surroundings can squash a lot of fears!
Don’t avoid altogether. A mama’s first instinct is to avoid that spooky decor at all costs. You will find yourself taking different routes around the neighborhood, and even avoiding certain streets! So it may sound counterintuitive, but this is exactly what you don’t want to do. Avoiding the grim scenery could actually make it seem that much more real to Bitsy — when they can see it with their own eyes (from a distance!), it’s easier for them to put them back in the make-believe world they belong to!
Costumes
The other hurdle during Halloween is the costumes themselves! Whether you’re worried about Bitsy’s costume decisions or those around them, there are a few things to make the whole process easier!
It’s just dress up. The same as the decor, make sure you talk with your child about how everyone will be playing dress up for Halloween! It’s likely that they’ll understand that it’s their friends behind those silly masks and capes, and robes, but it never hurts to have a reminder or reassurance.
Let them play an active role. Bitsy may not have many ideas, but encourage them to help pick their own costume! They’ll be more inclined to enjoy the holiday when they had a say in the matter — you can see our top picks here!
Don’t push the costumes. So Bitsy has been excited all month to put on that awesome costume you worked so hard on! But then the day arrives, and you suddenly have a battle on your hands–the cape is too itchy, the outfit is too hot, or maybe the mask is too hard to see with. Whatever the issue, understand that sometimes it just doesn’t work out, and try not to get too hung up on it — you can offer compromises like letting them wear it just for their school party and take it off after, wearing the boots and not the cape, or skipping the mask altogether! But if they still refuse, don’t fret, Mama. There will be so many other Halloweens!
No matter what, Mama, remember that your Bitsy will help you understand what they’re comfortable with — if you listen and watch their reactions, you’ll learn what works best for them. You can make it more fun by choosing fun Halloween activities to try around the house, or delicious Halloween foods to try baking together! Stay spooky, Bitsy!