Last night marked the first successful trick or treating
experience in our home. It also marked
the 5th attempt at trick or treating.
Our first three years of trick or treating we actually did in the
afternoon to our four neighbours and just went by for visits, so they were fairly
uneventful to be perfectly honest.
Last year was our families' first attempt at evening trick
or treating like most other people do.
My husband was on nights and I decided I would attempt to take them out
alone. After work I got home and shoved
a quick dinner in front of them. I got them
dressed, which was a huge fight because apparently they no longer wished to
wear the costumes they initially chose.
We were out the door at about 6:40pm.
We walked through our yard, and across the road to the neighbours; one
kid on each arm with the dog being dragged along behind. About three steps into our neighbour's yard
the younger child decided she wanted to be picked up, so of course then, the
older one wanted to be picked up. Now I
had one child on each hip and was dragging the dog behind me. I attempted to have them walk up to the door
to say "trick or treat". I set
them down and the trouble began.
They used the divide and conquer method against me and ran
in opposite directions. I used my best Border
Collie abilities to herd them towards the porch of our neighbour's house. They finally got to the door and were greeted
by our neighbour. She gave them each a
bag of candy causing more issues to arise.
Both girls then wanted to eat the candy at precisely that moment and
could not fathom the thought that they would have to wait until trick or
treating was over. They both melted in
her yard and began rolling around in the grass crying that they really wanted
the candy. It was cold and terrible
outside, and I was hot and sweating by this time. I decided to let them have their candy and we
headed back home to eat it; me carrying one child on each hip dragging the dog
behind us.
I learned a lot from last year's experience. This year I prepared dinner the night before,
I bribed them to put on their costume by letting them know that costumes equal candy, my husband and I both took them so neither person would be outnumberd, and
we brought along a double buggy cart type apparatus to put stuff in.
I am proud to say that despite the fact that it rained the
entire time, we walked through our small village and trick or treated at
approximately a dozen houses. Success,
and at the end of the night although wet and kind of tired I didn't want to put
anyone up for adoption. Plus, as a bonus
by them going to substantially more houses then last year, I now have way more
candy to steal from them once they are sleeping.
