We’re doing way too much for Halloween

[u/Inevitable_Debate814]

Today is the day and I am so over Halloween. There are just entirely too many things. We’ve had 2 trunk or treats at my daughter’s schools, a town parade (which is cute so I don’t hate it), Halloween parties at school, and the school parades. When I was a kid we just had a little party with snacks at school and trick or treated at night. That was it! I’ve had so many reminders in my phone to sign up for certain things, bring certain things to school, explain to my kids why we are not decorating a trunk this year (lol last year was a disaster and I’m scarred). Today they are in two schools and have Halloween parades at the worst possible times. I hate making this whole to-do to get to the school, watch for maybe 5 minutes, and then head home.

Maybe I’m a Halloween grinch but I just really want us to collectively pull back on some of these things

[u/Alligator382]

The Halloween parade at your kid’s school is during the school day AND parents are invited? That’s so odd to me. Our kids’ school does a parade during the school day, but it’s just to show all the other classrooms everyone’s costumes. Parents are not invited.

Our school district is huge, though, so it would be way too chaotic if everyone’s parents came in. Is your school on the smaller side? My kids have never had an event during school hours where parents were expected or even invited. That would be so inconvenient as a working parent.

[u/rilography → u/Alligator382]

Our elementary is doing a halloween parade today, at 9:10 am. Parents invited. I am not attending, and sorta feel guilty. Almost all the school events are during school hours. The parent council (PTA, whatever you wanna call it) meets at 3:30 pm. The "meet the principal" meetings are at like 10 am on certain Wednesdays. They do weekly Friday assemblys that parents are invited to and they're at 9 something am. Their halloween carnival didnt start til 5 pm, but they did a "fall garden celebration" that started at 4:30 pm. My daughter is part of the before/after-school program at the school, and because of funding requirements, they wont even let you pick up your kid til 4:45. So it's super weird when they have Open House and other events like this garden thing, starting at 4:30 before i can even pick up my kid. Anyway, im not OP but yes we're at a small rural school (100 kids maybe).

[u/Alligator382 → u/rilography]

Wow, that is so frustrating! That is really catering to the SAHPs only. Also, don’t feel guilty! I bet 90% of the parents that go are moms, and you know those dads don’t feel guilty about working instead of going to their kids school events.