Lulu is terrified of anything Halloween scary. Skeletons, pumpkins, and ghosts are okay if they are smiling. We live in one of those neighborhoods where Los Angeles creative types go nuts on Halloween. Moving zombies. Dancing severed heads. Fog machines. Skeletons dancing to the beat of “Nightmare Before Christmas.” It’s very impressive! Most of my Lulu time is spent heading off tantrums. Husband and I are constantly on high alert for pending Lulu meltdowns. Halloween makes us extra vigilant. Not to mention too much sensory stimulation is not good for anyone, especially a kid with SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder).

Here were our strategies to avoid a scary Halloween:

1. Have calm, Halloween themed playdates. We had a few friends over to hunt for mini pumpkins. We did a pumpkin decorating craft with stickers and glitter.We limited the treats.
2. We went to a pumpkin patch in the morning with smiling scarecrows and a petting zoo. No demons. No hayrides.
3. Limit the number of houses for Trick or Treat. We went to mostly non-scary houses.
4. We went to a Buddhist Halloween event in the day.
5. End Halloween night early.

My little guy, Axel, is the polar opposite of Lulu. We went to one of the very Hollywood scary houses per his request. As Axel  strutted up to the house in his Pottery Barn blue cyclops costume, a cloaked, bloody, zombie sat up and scared him. Axel screamed. He jumped into my arms. I said, “Axel, it’s just a dolly.” Axel stops crying. “Okay, mommy. Just a dolly.” He jumps down, walks up to the grim reaper and gets his candy. Happy Halloween!