The Halloween Debate

We don't do Halloween, but this year we did get one set of trick-or-treaters that didn't get the hint from porch light and driveway lights out. Each year, my kids want to know why we don't celebrate Halloween. Kade, particularly, wanted to know, so I asked him, "When you see Halloween stuff, what kind of things do you see?"

He thought about it, and together, we made a list:

Ghosts
Dead things
Skeletons
Black cats
Witches
Spells
Goblins
Dark things

So my answer, after the list, was simple. We don't celebrate Halloween because we don't want to dishonor God by participating in a holiday that glorifies those kind of things. I'm sure many of you agree with me on this at some level but are fine with the more innocuous Halloween alternatives. And maybe you think I'm taking too hard of a line. That's fine. I'm not picketing at anyone's house that celebrates Halloween. I'm just stating what and why we do what we do as a family in response to it.

Tonight, we headed off to our usual Wednesday night activities. One of the neighborhood girls, Christiana, usually comes with us, but she couldn't this time. However, sisters Annie and Molly from down the street came with us instead. It's a riot to add an extra kid or two to the group.

Kristofer volunteered to be on the tech team in his youth group. He helps in the sound booth with lights, video feed, sound, etc. -- and LOVES every minute of it. He talks on and on ad naseum to me about it on the way home. I understand about 5% of what he's talking about, but I'm thrilled to see him involved in this way.

I hang out with Keva at either Kristofer or Kathleen's choir practices for 45 minutes and then for the next 45 minutes, Keva and I hang out at the Warehouse, the building across from the church where the youth meet. Each week, Fred Wheeler, one of the adult youth workers, blows up a balloon for Keva to have. Tonight was no exception. Keva regally received her balloon and was happily playing with it, when a little girl (about 15 months) came walking toward her. Keva immediately turned her back to the little girl. I watched as the little girl got closer, and Keva promptly took herself and her balloon to the other side of the room! She was NOT going to share HER balloon with THAT kid.

Keith gave me the "Let the Kids do the Laundry" lecture earlier this week. This is all good and well in theory, but it's very hard to put it into practice. I don't want boys working on girls' laundry and visa versa, not to mention that I also don't want all of my whites turned pink. So Keith said to let each kid do his or her own laundry. Then, we have the problem of a lot of little loads that take up a lot of washing/drying time. However, I think what I will do to honor Keith's wishes is to start having Keri Lynn and Kristofer do their own laundry. (I know I've said this before, but this time I really really mean it!) Keri Lynn already does her own laundry when she's desperate for some clean clothes. At this point, all of the kids, with the exceptions of Keva (for obvious reasons) and Konner (because Kade does it for him), bring their clothes to the laundry room and later put their clothes away when laundered. For me, this works, but eventually, I suppose, they all do need to do their own laundry. I would be appalled if a kid of mine went to college unable to do their own laundry.