Halloween is an interesting phenomena. Have you ever thought about the impact on children to go parading through a known neighborhood that was transformed into an “amusement” park?
The decorations usually portray eerie and scary representations of death, sometimes with a component that will intentionally startle the ones passing by. How is that amusing?
“Oh, it’s funny, it’s just pretend. Don’t be annoying.“
What else have you heard (or said) to justify that it’s ok to fill your senses (and the children’s) with blood, ghosts, skulls, monsters, witches, etc presented in a gory way and intended to be enjoyed? (And that is, considering what can be named. I have seen things that I can’t even understand, let alone find a category!)
Then, after walking about having spooky interactions with something tangible that it’s supposed to be pretend, everybody goes home to eat candy. No time to process, digest, or integrate the experience. (What?! Do you mean to talk about death and ghosts?!)
Halloween comes from a tradition of honoring the ones who came before us. It was believed that it’s the time when communication with the ones who left could be possible. And offers were made (basically with what was harvested) in an attempt to satiate the needs of those without the physical body.
I’m not advocating that any of that is or is not true. Just thinking that there’s enough in those lines above to entertain a good (and long) conversation.
Then when the children say they see monsters under the bed we want to talk and argue that there’s nothing there. Instead of brushing off something that may be disturbing your child’s sleep, why not empower them to send it away. “Excuse, Mr monster, it’s my bedtime. I can’t play now. Please go away.”
If any of this made you think about death and wonder how to talk to your children about it, come for a zoom conversation on Sept 23, from 10 to 11:15am EDT (link for more information)
Jolie Hanna Luba is a Waldorf Educator with a degree in Psychology from Brazil. She believes in the human capacity for self-reflection and change. She enjoys shading Light into the dark corners of the soul. And she really loves having conversations about the mysteries of life and death. Here’s her website.
