Halloween is coming up. While it may not garner the same attention as bigger holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, it is still often a coparenting hurdle.
Sometimes after divorce or separation, coparents can reach a level of amicability that allows for harmonious observation of holidays. In these instances, parents may opt to take their children trick-or-treating together in an agreed upon neighborhood. Or, it may be that one parent is not as sentimental about the holiday and the child celebrates with the other parent, regardless of whose scheduled time it is.
However, not all families are able to seamlessly weather the holiday. Often the observance of Halloween is a source of contention between coparents. When this is the case, there is likely to be an arrangement where Halloween is alternated between the parents from year to year, with one parent celebrating with the children in odd years and the other in even years.
If you alternate Halloween with your coparent and this is not your year, that does not mean you cannot still observe the holiday with your children. With some flexibility and creativity, you can start new Halloween traditions leading up to the actual holiday. Here are some ideas for Halloween-related activities to do with your children that fall outside of trick-or-treating:
- Help your child get together what they need for their costume.
- Participate in a local trunk-or-treat activity. Involve your children in the design and execution of decorating your car for the event.
- Carve pumpkins.
- Host a Halloween party for your child and a few of their friends.
- Decorate your home for Halloween with the help of your children.
- Watch age-appropriate spooky movies with your children throughout October.
- Find out if your child’s classroom is having a Halloween party. If so, pick out a treat or party favor with your child that they can take into school that day.
Halloween can be more than just two hours of trick-or-treating. Even if Halloween is not your designated holiday with your child, you can still find ways to participate in the weeks leading up to it.