6 Reasons Why Halloween is a Mom's Worst Nightmare

Every year when the leaves start to fall and change colour, the hype for Halloween is palpable. People start decorating their houses and party planning is in full swing. The school yard is filled with kids fantasizing about which superheroes they’re going to dress up as, and family day pumpkin picking is a must - not just for the ultimate pumpkin, but for that money shot of your kids smiling amidst the endless sea of orange sweetness.

Halloween for us #MomjoMamas is something of a new tradition since moving to Canada. Having grown up in South Africa and Uruguay, where Halloween was only a holiday we saw in movies, we quickly learned to embrace this tradition and join in all the fun. But, is Halloween really all that it’s cracked up to be? We think not… and here’s why:

1. Getting our kids and ourselves dressed in regular clothes every morning is an achievement in itself. Now we have to plan every child’s Halloween costume each year from scratch!? What happened to throwing a sheet over their heads with 2 holes cut out for eyes?? Nowadays, with more more Halloween pop-up costume warehouses than Starbucks per square mile, the choice is overwhelming. And the price? Don't even get us started!

2. We’re OK with our houses not being spotless at all times. We’re even OK with our front yard not being perfectly manicured and landscaped each summer. But all the Halloween decor not only takes effort in buying, preparing, hanging and installing, what about the mess and clean up after all is tricked and treated!? Ain’t no mama got time for that!

3. Our best (and worst part) of Halloween is the candy. For your kids – you can’t help but bask in the joy of their gleeful faces, but you are the one that has to deal with the outrageous and inevitable sugar high, as well as the monumental come-down that almost always includes wild behavior, the complete inability to listen, insane tantrums and fighting. Thanks candy.

4. Again, the candy – now come to mama. Yes, there is simply nothing better than scoffing down the hugest bag of assorted candies that your kids collected (especially the chocolates!), once they have come down from their sugar high and are off in dream land. Of course, you’ll have to explain how half their candy magically disappeared - just think like a mom and you’ll ace this. But then, reality hits and the candy-guilt and self-loathing sets in. What on earth have you been killing yourself at the gym for!? Ugh. Simply not worth it.

5. The thought process and planning of Halloween eve is a logistical nightmare. What time to go out trick or treating? Who will stay home to hand out candy? When to feed the kids dinner so they for sure eat "proper" food before all the junk fills their trick-or-treat buckets? Who will bring the baby home in time to sleep while the older kids are still out and about? What street to trick or treat on? We're exhausted just thinking about it.

6. Got a sensitive child? Well, good luck with PHTSD (Post-Halloween Traumatic Stress Disorder) – it might last months and include night terrors from the scary skeletons that shocked the bejesus out of them, or manic tantrums when you dare to say “no” to more candy. And to this we say no thank you!

So there you have it, the main reasons why we dread this time of year. Since it’s impossible to disappear for October 31st, we’ll just have to suck it up and participate in this holiday and hope to g-d we all come out of it unscathed and weighing the same as we did on October 30th. And who knows? We MAY even have fun!

**GIVEAWAY** Of course, there are great things about Halloween too! Especially if you get invited to an adult-only party with fantastic food and drinks (hint, hint: our calendars are open…). And, speaking of parties – we recently came across the most gorgeous new party shop in the GTA and have collaborated with the fabulous Bon + Co Party Studio to bring you a real treat of a giveaway this Halloween.

Bon + Co. Party Studio Halloween Giveaway comes with: • 8 Rose Gold Foil Cobweb plates • 8 Rose Gold Foil Cups with Bat Sleeve • 16 Gold Foil “Creep it Real” Cocktail Napkins • 1 air-fill script “BOO” balloon

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