WebParenTips - The Online Parenting Newsletter vol.3 no.10, Oct, 2002 

                          IS HALLOWEEN NECESSARY?

OK, I admit it. I'm the Halloween version of Scrooge.
Bah, humbug, who needs Halloween?

Halloween can be dangerous to your kid's health. Walking around at night with
a mask on is not my idea of child safety. All that candy causes cavities.

Halloween can be tough on the wallet. A catalogue I glanced at recently showed
page after page of costumes for kids costing $59.95 plus shipping.

Halloween can be harmful to grown-ups too. Many wear expensive costumes to
work and the now popular costume parties at bars and homes are followed by the
inevitable drunk-driving catastrophes. Halloween night is now one of the highlights
of the year in terms of numbers of alcohol-related car crashes.

Obviously parents can minimize all of the above risks that jeopardize their kids:
o Face makeup instead of masks for Trick or Treat.
o Every young child accompanied by an adult.
o New rule: Each child can save seven pieces of candy-one for each night for a
   week-and the rest is given away.

Sure kids like to dress up. I send old clothes and jewelry to my grandkids all the
time. But let's face it, Halloween has become a very commercial holiday. The idea
of a family with three kids spending almost $200 on costumes to wear only one
day horrifies me but it sure enriches the wallets of those who manufacture and
sell costumes.

I personally dislike the idea of young children going from door to door for any
reason including selling stuff for a worthy cause.

Neighborhoods and schools can have costume parties instead of Trick or Treat.
Parents and kids can be creative together making costumes. Parties can
charge a small admission fee and donate the proceeds to a charity.

If I had a magic wand I would turn Halloween into the annual fall
Holiday-to-Raise-Money-for-the-Needy!

But until this happens, have a safe and sane Halloween!

Happy Parenting,
Marilyn Heins, M.D.


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Dr. Marilyn Heins is a Tucson pediatrician, parenting
columnist for the Arizona Daily Star, author of the book,
ParenTips, as well as a mother, stepmother and grandmother.

She is available for workshops and lectures to groups of
parents, teachers, and grandparents. See:

Dr. Heins' Lectures
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