The Friday Five: Halloween Etiquette Edition
Well, today I had my first Halloween in an elementary school since, well, I was in elementary school. It was a little crazy, despite the reduced ranks (they were all here), because we had plenty of wandering parents. I listened to the faculty's hilarious commentary as some creative costumes among the dozens of Darth Vaders and Dorothy Gales ("Hey, who's the kid in the Santa Claus costume? Oh, it's _______. Wait, isn't he Jewish?"), and only really one or two questionable costumes ("I'm not asking what that kid is--he's dressed like a pimp! Whose parents put together a pimp costume for a first grader?") walked by us in the Halloween parade.
Some of the more questionable stuff came from the parents. Like the mom in the orange crossover top that was cut down-to-here and up-to-there. Middle-aged mom cleavage and midriff? Ew! And there was the mom who carried on a conversation with her mother, at normal volume, in the one of the classrooms where our "Poetry Rovers" recited Halloween poems to some of their fellow classmates. Thanks for undoing all the good behavior modeling we grown-ups bust our butts to do for your children every school day, ladies. It's a nice double standard you've got going there.
Speaking of etiquette, my parents (at whose house I'm typing this post) have been ranting a bit about some of the trick-or-treaters who have come to the door with less than stellar behavior. So here is today's Friday Five: Kate P's Mom & Dad's Five Tips for Trick-or-Treaters:
1. Knock. Just because you can see me typing on the laptop at the dining room table doesn’t mean I’m going to let you in. It’s not my house.
2. Wait. Don’t run over the little kids trying to exit in your attempt to rush inside. This isn’t speed trick-or-treating.
3. Identify yourself. Especially if (A) you’re wearing a really good disguise, and (B) you’re just visiting. (There’s no shame in it; it’s a nice neighborhood.)
4. Say “please,” “thank you,” “Happy Halloween”—you know, actually respond to the nice people giving you candy. We understand some kids are shy, but at least a nod would be polite.
5. As a corollary to #4—don’t be grabby. Although we did have a funny incident where I watched in amusement as a tiny mermaid neighbor marched all the way through to the kitchen, helped herself to the open bag of Milky Ways on the counter, continued on to the TV room in the back to pet the sleepy cat on the sofa, and then pushed her way through the kids (including her two younger siblings) out the front door, without a single word to my mom. In fact, my mom said she didn’t even see her!
Enjoy the rest of your Halloween, and have a sweet weekend. :)
Some of the more questionable stuff came from the parents. Like the mom in the orange crossover top that was cut down-to-here and up-to-there. Middle-aged mom cleavage and midriff? Ew! And there was the mom who carried on a conversation with her mother, at normal volume, in the one of the classrooms where our "Poetry Rovers" recited Halloween poems to some of their fellow classmates. Thanks for undoing all the good behavior modeling we grown-ups bust our butts to do for your children every school day, ladies. It's a nice double standard you've got going there.
Speaking of etiquette, my parents (at whose house I'm typing this post) have been ranting a bit about some of the trick-or-treaters who have come to the door with less than stellar behavior. So here is today's Friday Five: Kate P's Mom & Dad's Five Tips for Trick-or-Treaters:
1. Knock. Just because you can see me typing on the laptop at the dining room table doesn’t mean I’m going to let you in. It’s not my house.
2. Wait. Don’t run over the little kids trying to exit in your attempt to rush inside. This isn’t speed trick-or-treating.
3. Identify yourself. Especially if (A) you’re wearing a really good disguise, and (B) you’re just visiting. (There’s no shame in it; it’s a nice neighborhood.)
4. Say “please,” “thank you,” “Happy Halloween”—you know, actually respond to the nice people giving you candy. We understand some kids are shy, but at least a nod would be polite.
5. As a corollary to #4—don’t be grabby. Although we did have a funny incident where I watched in amusement as a tiny mermaid neighbor marched all the way through to the kitchen, helped herself to the open bag of Milky Ways on the counter, continued on to the TV room in the back to pet the sleepy cat on the sofa, and then pushed her way through the kids (including her two younger siblings) out the front door, without a single word to my mom. In fact, my mom said she didn’t even see her!
Enjoy the rest of your Halloween, and have a sweet weekend. :)
Comments
I did do some trick-or-treating as a teenager, but always in costume--and I was taking my little sister and her friends around.