Is Halloween Too Scary? Tips for Celebrating with Kids of All Ages

Halloween used to be a much more kid-centric holiday, all about carving pumpkins and making cute homemade costumes, and maybe a spooky scarecrow (EEK!). Now, many parents lament the lost innocence of October 31 -- a day (and weeks-long season) of all things scary, gory, and "sexy." Simply put, adults have hijacked Halloween

Studies have shown that Halloween can in fact be too scary for young children -- who have trouble separating make-believe from reality and are largely shielded from death anytime other than Halloween. But the holiday has turned into an $8 billion (with B!) business, so -- sorry kids -- you'll just have to deal with dangly skeleton decorations and oozing zombie masks (not to mention 'sexy nurse' costumes) in drugstore aisles for a couple of months. UGH!

Sure, Halloween is rooted in spooky folklore, but we've taken the gore factor to a new level. The bloody Halloween retail machine seems especially off-putting this year, with the heartbreaking Ebola outbreak in West Africa and terrifying violence in the Middle East. Many children have probably heard about these scary world events in the news, and combined with the horrors of Halloween season, they might be downright traumatized.  

So, if you, too, are craving a return to a more innocent, lighthearted Halloween this year, check out these resources for celebrating with kids of all ages! 

HAPPY Halloween!  :)

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