Helpful Halloween Hints

This blog was originally published by BabySpace Coachella Valley:

This is HALLOWEEN!

Oct 31

Written By BabySpace Coachella Valley

BabySpace Coachella Valley is here to help you prepare for your Halloween activities.

Happy Halloween!

What an exciting time for families! For new parents, as well as their young children, though, the holiday can be a bit overwhelming at times. Maybe your little one doesn’t want to wear that adorable costume you picked out, or you worry about the candy overload. Don’t fret! This blog will help you navigate your Halloween activities with a smile, even if things don’t go exactly as planned.

Choosing a Comfortable Costume

Picking out a Halloween costume for your baby or littel one is so much fun! But what if your little one doesn’t want to wear it? That’s okay! Instead, focus on comfortable and simple outfits that won’t irritate your child. A cozy onesie or themed pajamas can be just as cute and fun as a fancy costume. If Halloween arrives and your child decides to change their costume, don’t stress. Remember that Halloween is about dressing up and having fun, so if your child makes the decision that they dont want to wear the costume you had in mind, help them decide what they would like to wear, make it a game: ‘pick any five items from your closet or the dress-up pile to wear out for Halloween.” If they really don’t want to dress up, let it go. Opt for the memories of being together over pushing your child to dress up when they don’t want to.

Candy Alternatives

Too much candy can make parents uneasy. Instead of sugary treats, consider handing out small toys, stickers, or even healthy snacks. You can find lots of creative alternatives that still bring smiles to little faces without the sugar rush. As your little one goes door to door, remove the items (stealthily) that you don’t want them to have in their bag. Tell your child(ren) what the rules are for your family about Halloween and candy. Some families say “you can have as many pieces of candy tonight as is your age (5 years old has 5 pieces of candy)”, some say “eat whatever you want while we are out trick or treating but once we are home, the candy goes away until (time/date you decide)”. Some say “you can eat halloween candy after your dinner is eaten.”

Safety First

Being separated from your child during trick-or-treating can be scary for parents. To avoid this, stick together as a family. Talk to you child about why it’s important to stay together and what you want your child to do in the event s/he finds himself separated from you. Hold your child’s hand, use a safety harness or instruct him/her to hold onto their stroller or another person in your group to ensure they stay close. Write your phone number on your child’s arm or stick a piece of tape to the back of their costume so if need be, someone can call you. Also, make sure your child’s costume is visible in the dark. Add reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark stickers to enhance visibility and keep everyone safe.

Frightening Costumes

Some Halloween costumes can be frightening for young children. If you’re worried about your little one getting scared, be sure you choose costumes for yourself and the other adults in your child’s life that are cute and friendly costumes like animals, superheroes, or beloved storybook characters. Avoid masks that might obstruct your face so they can see it’s you! If your child does get scared by certain costumes while you’re out in public, be sure to be the safe place for them to come to you for comfort. Hold them, pick them, up, comfort them by saying something like, “that person is dressed up in a scary costume. Underneath all the make-up is your beloved cousin, Dax. Do you want to hold my hand so we can go talk to him together?” If your child says no to wanting to engage with a particular costumed person, respect their decision.

The Halloween Takeaway

Halloween as a new parent might not always go as planned, but remember, it's all about making happy memories with your little one. Embrace the surprises, focus on safety, and find joy in the little moments. Whether your baby wears a costume or not, the most important thing is spending quality time together as a family. At the end of the night, it is the smiles, laughter, and love you share that truly make Halloween special for your little one, regardless of the bumps in the road.

BabySpace Coachella Valley wishes you a spooktacular time!

Lauren Fox, LCSW, PMH-C works exclusively with women in the perinatal period and those with children 0-3 years old.

I hope this blog about preparing your family for Halloween was helpful for you. Read here if you’d like to know more about Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. If you are looking for a perinatal and/or postpartum therapist, reach out to me! I can also help point you in the direction of local Coachella Valley doulas, physicians, birthing centers and vendors like photographers, balloons and catering for baby showers, etc, etc. We can schedule a 15 minute phone consultation to discuss what is happening for you and explore if more individualized mental health support could be beneficial for you. I would be happy to help get you connected. Feel free to call me at 805-930-9355 for a free 15 minute phone consultation. If you are looking for help with pregnancy, postpartum, pregnancy loss, infertility, birth trauma, hypnotherapy, or new mothers support groups, you can read more about how I can help within this website.

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