So I took the kids trick or treating tonight with a friend of mine and her kids. Wow! I think every child within a 10 mile radius was also out as well, leading me to wonder, if all the kids and their parents are out, then who is left to hand out candy? Nonetheless, there were people handing out candy to my little pirate and fairy.Going trick or treating is quite the adventure when your kids are 3 and 5. We started out strong, running, laughing, playing, all fun and games. Things were going good as we rounded the corner of the street, they were excited to be with there friends and dying to eat the candy they already had gotten.
Now as we go to the second block things began to deteriorate slightly. There was some whining, but not too much. However, as we rounded the corner on the second block (the furthest point from our starting point) things went under in a hurry. The kids (mainly Ben) are whining that their feet hurt and their baskets are heavy. Benjamin is lagging so far behind its ridiculous, leading my friend to ask, "Is this overwhelming for him (AKA: Is he always this slow?)." To which I respond, unfortunately, yes he is always this slow the kid doesn't get staying with the group, or hurrying in any way shape or form. It is a foreign concept to him, he resides in the World According to Ben and everyone else needs to get on board. In his mind he isn't the slow one, we are all just going too fast. And even as I listen to Ben tell me he is done and wants to go home, something in me wants to keep going from house to house, why might you ask do I want to continue the torture that is trick or treating when my kids no longer care to get anymore candy? Well, the buckets aren't full and for some reason it seems like they should be full! Keep knocking, get in line, just because it isn't fun anymore doesn't mean we stop we press on until we have conquered EVERY SINGLE HOUSE!!!
Now I have to say that although my gut reaction is the one stated above, we did stop and head back home when the kids stated they were done and wanted to go home and play, the mother in me took over my overacheiver mindset and we trekked and yes I do mean trekked, dragging my pirate and trying to control my fairy who was so hopped up on sugar she might have actually been able to fly given the chance back home to play for a little bit.
Going trick or treating with preschoolers is kind of like eating 2 fat pieces of rich chocolate cake. Each bite seems so delicious and the second piece doesn't seem like a bad idea until it is all consumed and you feel sick to your stomach like you are about to explode and you never want to see chocolate cake for a long while. Trick or treating is so fun at first, the kids look so cute, they are having such a good time on the first block you go to so you think lets continue the fun and go to a second block until you get to the back corner of the block and you realize no one is having anymore fun, the kids aren't as cute, you aren't as cute as you snap orders to stay out of the street and you don't want to see one more lighted house giving out candy that you will have to stop at, you just want to get back to square one, take off the costumes and not see halloween decorations for another year.
Well, the night is over, the halloween festivities which have encompassed our entire weekend are over, the costumes hung up, the kids are fast asleep, and the candy is calling my name as I resist the urge to raid their pumpkins for anything gooey and chocolate. Although I am glad that the night is done and normalcy will reign again as Monday arrives, in all seriousness, I did enjoy watching the little faces of my pirate and fairy as they looked with wonderment at their full pumpkins and all the candy like it was a million dollars sitting right in front of them. It is amazing how easy it is to thrill little ones. A $17 costume changes their whole persona and a bucket full of candy makes their night. They are precious and sweet and I look forward to lots more halloweens to watch them thrill over costumes and candy.
