I hate Grade school Halloween parties!

[Kitty 34]

Our school still has the one hour set aside for dressing up, parading and having a party (tho I think they really try to push healthier snacks now).

I loved that hour growing up, my boys loved that hour, and I'm sure there are plenty of kids in our district that are so looking forward to that this Friday.

 

[mjkacmom]

I am 43, and halloween is done exactly the same way now as when I was a student in my district. School is 1/2 day, the kids go home for 2 hours, and then go back to school in costume (no weapons). The class moms "host" the party, with them going into the classroom in the younger grades, and just dropping off goodies in the older grades (ie - cupcakes, juice boxes, napkins). Class moms here pay OOP for the goodies - I don't mind. Then the 2 loop parade around the block. It's so cute - even the teachers dress up, in a theme. TOT (when halloween is on a week night) starts right after the parade (those living in the neighborhood of the school need to buy lots of candy). All of the elementary schools do the same thing.

 

[jodifla]

Its not even one day. Its one stinkin hour of one day. Our kids HALLOWEEN party is from 2pm-3pm. There is a costume parade, snacks, crafts and games.

I loved it when I was young and the kids really look forward to it now. One hour for one day isn't a big deal IMOP. Why can't kids have some fun in school too? Does it always have to be books, learning and tests. And don't even start about the candy and healthy snacks. When my kids lunches at school get healthier then they can preach to me about the decorate your own cookie we are doing for this years Halloween snack.

Exactly! We have a pretty sane school district. No scary costumes. But there's a short recess when we get the rooms ready, then a parade around the school, then an hourlong party with an array of snacks, including fruits and veggies as well as sweet treats, a game, a book, a craft.

The other elementary school DS attended had a Halloween bash...but that got a bit loud and chaotic with all the kids and all their families. The classroom party is a nice way to end the week!

 

[JVL1018]

When I was in grade school (in the 80s), we had Halloween parties. We dressed up in our costumes, had a parade at the school, made Halloween decorations, and overloaded on pizza and candy. And then we went home to go trick-or-treating.

The fact that so many schools now have either banned that outright, or call it something other than "Halloween," or making dressing up such a boring chore by making it some kind of educational assignment just makes me sad.

I don't see the point of sucking the joy out of something that was so fun when we were kids. It's one day.

Same here-except I started K in 1976.

Thankfully Halloween is alive and well at my kids school!
At Lunchtime (noon) everyone goes home to change or they change at school.
All the parents come at 1 to see the big Halloween parade-the teachers and principal all dress up as well.
Scary costumes and junk food are allowed-not many crafts, but games and music and even karaoke in the 4th grades(4th grade teacher has a karaoke machine in his classroom).
It's fantastic and does not diminish the regular Halloween- and it's only 2 hours out of learning time for the whole year. Party on!

 

[Angelhalo]

When I was in grade school (in the 80s), we had Halloween parties. We dressed up in our costumes, had a parade at the school, made Halloween decorations, and overloaded on pizza and candy. And then we went home to go trick-or-treating.

The fact that so many schools now have either banned that outright, or call it something other than "Halloween," or making dressing up such a boring chore by making it some kind of educational assignment just makes me sad.

Ditto! I used to like the school party day more than the trick or treating! We usually didn't see our school friends on Halloween night so we would never get to see each other dressed up (which was the best part anyway) if it weren't for the school party.

 

[chewbacca]

When I was in grade school (in the 80s), we had Halloween parties. We dressed up in our costumes, had a parade at the school, made Halloween decorations, and overloaded on pizza and candy. And then we went home to go trick-or-treating.

The fact that so many schools now have either banned that outright, or call it something other than "Halloween," or making dressing up such a boring chore by making it some kind of educational assignment just makes me sad.

I don't see the point of sucking the joy out of something that was so fun when we were kids. It's one day.

I totally agree!! I think the schools are so afraid of offending someone they have to switch everything from a Halloween party to the fall or harvest festival crap. I loved getting dressed up in school and its too bad my kids will never get to know what that was like b/c of making a couple of people upset. If you don't believe in it don't send your child to school while the festivities are going on!!!!

 

[DisneyScraps]

They don't allow costumes at the schools around here. They do a Fall Festival which is a zzzzzzzzzzz

Lisa

 

[JVL1018]

We still have Halloween parties and kids dress up in school and have a parade. They do ask to keep the junk food to a minimum, i'm sending in crackers and cheese (exciting I know!) and extra candy will be sent home in a goodie bag.

I bought a cute little Halloween themed 4 piece cookie cutter set a few years ago and cut cat and pumpkin shapes out of cheddar cheese slices for my daughter's 1st grade class Halloween party and served it with crackers. Not because I am all gung ho on healthy snacks for school parties, I just thought it would be cute and another alternative, and the kids ate it up-they loved it!

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I look at it like its one day, yes they may have a 10lb bag of candy but when else will they get a 10lbs bag of candy? (OT, but DD can't eat any of it anyways b/c her peanut allergy so we leave it for the great pumpkin and she gets a small $5 gift in return).

I am volunteering at DD's school this year for K party, the class mom called me and said they are not allowed to do any candy, she is making gifts bags and asking volunteers to bring in something non food related so I picked up halloween pencils. They will have a parade and I think their party will be about an hour long.

When I student taught K it was very excessive, a party with tons of foods, goodie bags, parade, we walked to the senior citizen home and walked around and sang songs in there, the party had crafts and games.

The Christmas (well we weren't allowed to say Christmas, so Winter Party) was really crazy! we had about 15 stations set up, ALL parents (or grandparents) HAD to come in to help with those stations, kids HAD to bring in a huge brown paper bag to put their crafts in it. It was nice in a way to have the parents come in, but it was also sad b/c not everyone's parents could come in, we had a few parents who were teachers and they one had 4 kids so she couldn't keep missing work.
We also had 1 kid who was out, went to Hawaii so who had to make the 15 crafts after school for her? Thats right....me.

AND PS back to Halloween, a dentist here is offering kids $1 per pound of candy that they bring in the DAy after Halloween. He is then donating that candy to the troops.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

I totally agree!! I think the schools are so afraid of offending someone they have to switch everything from a Halloween party to the fall or harvest festival crap. I loved getting dressed up in school and its too bad my kids will never get to know what that was like b/c of making a couple of people upset. If you don't believe in it don't send your child to school while the festivities are going on!!!!

Yes, my sister had a few kids in her class (mid 90s) who it was against their religious belief so parents didnt send them in with the costumes and they just watched everyone else participate in the parade. I guess in instances like this perhaps schools are afraid they will offend someone and then int turns into a whole big thing,

IDK, flame me, but DD is allergic to peanuts, the school still serves PBnJ sandwiches at lunch it doesn't offend me but it makes me uneasy b/c accidents could happen and its life threatening but they don't stop serving PBnJ on her account, so why stop Halloween and Christmas parties?

 

[kinntj]

Our schools do it big here from preK - 2nd grade. Then in 3rd and 4th grades there's no more parades and the parties are only 40 minutes with dressing up. In 5th and 6th there's nothing. Maybe 1 treat the teacher brings in for the class, but it's business as usual.

It's really not that big of a deal. Parents love to volunteer and make the party enjoyable for the kids. The only grade our kids get candy handed to them is K when they walk downtown (school is downtown) and the businesses hand them candy when they parade the streets. The rest of the grades, they just get one dessert item brought in besides fruit and that's it. I kinda like it that way.

My kids are looking forward to this nice break from learning.

 

[kinntj]

Yes, my sister had a few kids in her class (mid 90s) who it was against their religious belief so parents didnt send them in with the costumes and they just watched everyone else participate in the parade. I guess in instances like this perhaps schools are afraid they will offend someone and then int turns into a whole big thing,

IDK, flame me, but DD is allergic to peanuts, the school still serves PBnJ sandwiches at lunch it doesn't offend me but it makes me uneasy b/c accidents could happen and its life threatening but they don't stop serving PBnJ on her account, so why stop Halloween and Christmas parties?

Here the kids without costumes still join the parades. They still have fun walking around with their classmates.

 

[marcyinPA]

I started to write this on the hobo costume thread, but the more I wrote the more I realized it was really a different subject. I have no problem with the hobo costumes, or even with a school not allowing it since evidently the term has changed. But it brings to mind my feeling on Halloween and grade school parties. My rant.....



When I was young we dressed up just to go trick-or-treating. Nothing was done at school. It was great! There was one big thing, getting dressed and ready for Halloween night, and the candy was the likes of which we never saw any other time ever!

Somehow by the time my kids got to grade school it was a party and a parade and tons of junk food and volunteers needed!

One by one the complications have appeared. First it was no weapons or violent indications and other such and instructions regarding the appropriateness of costumes. (Duh!)

Then we can't call it Halloween; It's the "Fall Festival" where we just happen to dress our kids up in strange attire and have them eat sugar.

Then it was geez, we preach how to eat healthy, but on this day we stuff them with junk and then send them home with a 10 pound bag of candy before they even go trick-or-treating? Better stop that! (Duh!) At our school the PTO took over and now spends some of its increasingly precious funds buying "healthy" snacks and drinks for the parties. Because we MUST have this fall party and parade that has NOTHING to do with Halloween! And we need volunteers!

And let's face it, after maybe 2nd grade the kids have no interest in those silly crafts parents are forced to come up with and buy. The excitement of putting on that great costume Halloween night is somewhat lessened by the fact that it has craft project paint and glue and juice box drink spilled on it, and the hat was lost at school. And how many more plastic Halloween cups (I mean "fall" cups) must parents go out and buy so they can end up in landfills?

Would our children really be so traumatized if we skipped the whole thing and sent it back home?

My youngest is in middle school this year where they have no parade or school day party, and I am just glad I tell ya!

Mine too! And I totally agree with you!!

 

[Disney_Dreaming]

OP, I can relate. My child's school has a Fall Festival that is coming up this Saturday. I'm not looking forward to it! Parents have to volunteer or we get slapped with a $50 fine.

 

[hentob]

OP, I can relate. My child's school has a Fall Festival that is coming up this Saturday. I'm not looking forward to it! Parents have to volunteer or we get slapped with a $50 fine.

Did you agee to this policy?

 

[mouseforcemom]

I miss those days. Just plain fun. We used to have a Halloween Dance and Party every Halloween. Good times!

Now though I have seen Christmas Parties, I mean "Holiday Parties" that the kids just walk out with their backpacks filled with candy and sugary stuff.

 

[Disney_Dreaming]

Did you agee to this policy?

Nope but oh well. My child enjoys it so that's all that matters.

 

[hentob]

Nope but oh well.

Then they really can't fine you $50


My kids love Halloween and all of the school extravaganzas that go along with it. They are only young once, so I am happy that they celebrate these silly little holidays

 

[DisneyJen0504]

When I was in elementary school (80's) we did have Halloween celebrations at school with the parade and it was a blast.
I am a teacher now and our district does the same thing. Halloween parade in the morning. Classrooms in K through 2 do a breakfast or morning party where we have orange bagels or halloween theme breakfast items. Candy and goody bags not permitted and we still call it Halloween.
It is fun. Why shouldn't children be able to enjoy Halloween for a few hours longer than the time it takes to trick or treat? Children look forward to it so seems silly for it to bother adults.

 

[J3nn78]

I could do without Halloween, and wish it was not so overdone. But, I won't deprive my kids. Here we have 4 Days of Halloween craziness. This week on Wednesday we have a safe trick or treat at our middle school. I will take my boys to this because it is a safe place to trick or treat. Then on Friday we have the school parade and parties. No way to avoid that. On Saturday is a Harvest Festival, and Sunday will be the town Halloween parade and trick or treat.
Luckily, my boys are too young to realize that they will not be "celebrating" on Halloween and will not know what they are missing. The school function and safe trick or treat will be plenty.