I have been a Halloween crank with my kids. The decorations didn’t go up until yesterday. Frankenstorm was here to destroy the outside decorations, but I can’t use that as an excuse; there was nothing inside either. Last night pumpkin carving was a disaster. We had a rotten pumpkin that smelled like decomposing seafood when we opened it up. Nothing has been going right this Halloween.
The only thing that has really been wrong, though, is my attitude. I have felt the I’m-a-single-mom-and-feel-sorry-for-myself whine rise up this week related to Halloween. Pull decorations out only to have more to clean up around the house. Stick my hand in a rotting pumpkin when laundry needs folding. Coordinate costumes, candy purchases, and evening events instead of working.
I thought about my crankiness this morning, and realized my time as a frazzled single mom trying to prepare for Halloween is limited. As the kids are getting older, Halloween won’t be as exciting for them. Instead of having the put-upon attitude the rest of the day, I have committed to pulling myself out of my anti-Halloween funk by the time the kids return from school.
The pumpkin on our porch reeks, and the decorations went up the day before Halloween, but we are going to enjoy the evening. The image of this little guy dressed as Carl from the movie Up certainly helped me shake my crankiness. Isn’t he cute?
What’s the cutest costume you have seen for Halloween?
#1 I don’t understand the problem, I LOVE sticking my hand inside rotten pumpkins. 😀
#2 My daughter, 1-2yo, dressed as a bumblebee, OMG SO CUTE
#3 You’re doing a great job and you’re an awesome mom.
Happy Halloween!!
Thanks for the great comment! It’s helping with my mood. 🙂
My 11 year old son informed me that he’s too old for Halloween this year. It really did make me sad. And old. I felt really old. And like I’ve missed out on way too much.
Mine are 9 and 12. I am waiting for them to lose interest, but at least I will have little kids coming to the house for candy! I will still get to see adorable kids dressed up.
It’s sometimes so easy to let the work of it feel like such a hassle and you don’t get to enjoy it.
I actually did a post on my favorite Halloween costumes
http://fracturedfamilytales.blogspot.com/2012/10/listicles-costume-edition.html
Dare you to look at my crazy cat lady costume and not laugh!
Off to check out a crazy cat lady now!
Mine are 9 and 11, and I hate to say it, but I wish they thought they were too old for trick-or-treating. I normally love Halloween, but I just can’t get into it this year. It’s almost 4pm and I’m still trying to pull costumes together into something decent before 7pm when my husband comes home. What in the world was I thinking, offering to knit hats for David and the girls’ “Pac-Man and the ghosts” costumes? Ugh.
I know this is a difficult time for you. I hope you were able to forget for a moment to enjoy the experience of your kids trick-or-treating last night.
Fun post, and I think you are being WAAAY too hard on yourself…! Clearly you care and are a great Mom.
And Alfie’s costume was the cutest, though he totally hated it!
Thanks, Braham. I try, but fall short a lot. I think the kids knowing they are loved and I am doing my best speaks loudly though.