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Because I'm the Dad / October 2012 / Did someone say “candy?”

Oct 19, 201208:39 AMBecause I'm the Dad

Parenthood through a Father's Eyes

Did someone say “candy?”

When my kids were smaller, this time of year was the absolute best—HALLOWEEN! My wife never really cared for it and certainly didn’t mind handing it off to me. I would start planning the costumes by mid-summer. No time to waste.

Even when Colin was just 4 months old, I was determined that he had to wear a costume—and it was not going to be one of those pajama sleepers that had a pumpkin face on it. To me, that was just laziness. No, I went to the store and bought felt and a bandana. I made him little brown felt boots and a little vest. I found a plastic hat and put the bandana on him and he was a cowboy! (Albeit a rather disheveled and fussy one, but I was happy.) Too bad he didn’t like it.

Over the years, both of my kids were a variety of things. I was able to coax my wife into sewing something once a year. We had bumble bees, devils, bunnies, an alligator and even Little Red Riding Hood. When they got a little older, they got into the spirit as well and the costumes evolved into a slice of pizza, an alien and my personal favorite—a ham sandwich with a pickle hat.

On Halloween night, I would go crazy. The house would be the most decorated one on the street and there would be spooky noises coming from the bushes. The kids knew where to go because I was not about to pass out those little bite-size nuggets (between you and me, there was a well-known television personality in my neighborhood who always passed out the small candies that were leftover from the Christmas before!). At my house, it was the full-size candy bars.

But as I am getting older, it is starting to feel a little sad. Here I am, in my mid-40s throwing cobwebs on my front door. The good thing is that my daughter is still very much into the Halloween spirit. When I suggested we take a year off on the decorating, she went ballistic. So now our house looks like something out of a Clark Griswold movie.

I guess I am entering into a new phase in my life. Before too long, both of my kids will be off on their own and we will be remembering the fun spooky nights gone by.

While I might back down a little bit on the decorating and the candy bars might get a little smaller, I doubt I will ever fully give up the fun.

You see, now my wife and I have become THOSE people. We actually did dress up our dog Joei. She’s half dachshund so naturally a hot dog costume was in order. Like Colin, she wasn’t thrilled either but it made me happy again.

So make sure you come around trick-or-treating this year. Who knows? It may be the last of the full-blown tacky decorations and the big candy bars. I will be there, wearing my Charlie Brown Great Pumpkin T-shirt that I pull out every year and making new memories.

I’ll never grow up… . At least I hope I don’t.