when else is having your parents coaching you to say "thank you" so much fun? when else is waiting your turn so much fun? when else is your parents telling you not to say, "yuck, i don't like nerds" so much fun? never, that's when.
when else can your parents talk to you about how it's fun for you to wear a mask at halloween but what about all the people out there who feel like they have to wear one everyday? and how maybe we ought to reach out to folks like that and help them.
what better time than halloween to talk about violence? and how walking around with a pretend knife stuck through your pretend skull may not be the best choice in costumes?
and how violence is, for so many people, as daily in their lives as laughter is in yours.
what about talking to your kids about diet and obesity and moderation? you don't have to go all fargo, north dakota postal on the kids and hand out scolding letters to the parents of fat trick-or-treaters, but you can say, "look - there are a few times and occasions every year when we can indulge a little. and halloween is one of them. but the rest of the year, we have to act half-way sane."
what about simply pointing out that no matter what the other kids' costumes are, i expect you to be complimentary of them. none of this insulting, "what the heck are you supposed to be????" crap.
what about just standing there on the sidewalk, in the cold or the rain (or the 70 mph wind, as the case may be in ohio), and beaming with pride as you gently coax your munchkin to go on, go ahead, just say "trick or treat.it's ok."
what about that? what about how you standing there on the sidewalk is such an example of how you are going to be standing there their whole lives through?
what about that?
what about, yes, the devil does exist. and so does God. and His goodness will prevail. and me standing here telling you to be a nice kid - and insisting that you are - is your first lesson in grasping that.
