More...more...more!!

Ahhhhhh....big sigh of relief as the Halloween raucous settles down.  Halloween on a weekend is such a chore for me as a Mom!  It's just too much craziness as there are several days of Halloween and not just one.  For me, just one day suits me fine.  Why does it seem as if the whole holiday fosters an orgy of unsatisfied people everywhere?  More candy, more houses to cover, more decorations than before, better costume...more leg?!?  I was appalled by the leg on one of the "naughty" costumes that came to my door this year.  She was in high school, for sure, but still!! First of all it was VERY COLD!  Second of all, who was she "treating" when men came to the door in the neighborhood?  Anyway, enough of the Brittany look alike, (just had to get it off my chest!!)

I was mostly in charge of making sure the bowl kept from being empty in between darting in and out of the house to say hello to neighbors, attending an open house next door and bringing the youngest to some neighbors near by.   At first I put out the econo bag of candy....the stuff kids like, but are not crazy over.....then, after those bags all ran out, I put the chocolate out.  I filled the bowl to the top and turned around to go inside for (seriously) one minute...and when I came back out HALF the bowl was GONE!!!!!!  I figured that since the kids had been behaving, for the most part, by taking one piece or two, it was no big deal to leave the bowl by itself....boy was I wrong!!  It was amazing how the behavior changed once the quality of the candy changed.  It was more desirable, (chocolate) and as if our house was the last one they would see for the day, the trick or treaters literally dove in and went crazy; causing us to rein it in for the rest of the night by bringing the bowl in the house.  Give them an inch and they take a mile!  Human behavior is so interesting to me like that.  My husband told me of a study that showed once a town widened its road to relieve traffic woes, it only was filled once again as people were given the gumption to move into the area since there was not as much traffic there; leaving it traffic filled once again!  Sometimes I feel the same way as a Mom.  I give and give and there is just more take and take and take.  That is where I have to put my foot down and administer a little tough love, together with guidance to let the kids know that they are getting out of hand.  I guess what we need are more Moms and Dads who give some more tough love and guidance. Maybe some kids out there would be different. Lord knows I know I am still learning how.

Loudly yours,
Alicia