Happy Halloween
By: Lindsay Alcock, MA, LMHC-A, NCC
Halloween is an exciting time for kids and adults alike between carefully crafting a costume to going door to door collecting candy. Halloween can be a time for family and friends to get together; however, Halloween can also be a stressful time for parents worried about their children. To make the season as stress-free as possible, here are some tips for parents:
- Encourage age-appropriate Halloween plans. Consider the impact that certain activities or frightening décor/activities may have on your child.
- Know who your child is trick-or-treating with and if there will be an adult present.
- Set boundaries of when festivities will be ending by and communicate expectations ahead of time. This can help avoid meltdowns.
- Allow children to enjoy some candy guilt-free. Setting limits on pieces of candy per day can be helpful if your child won’t limit themselves, but not allowing any or taking it away immediately may promote an unhealthy view of food.
- Promote creativity and autonomy by letting children have a say in their costume.
- Enjoy your day, no matter what that looks like!
We hope you all have a safe and happy Halloween.