All photographs and content used in this post are my own. Therefore, they have been used under my permission and are my property.
Remember, Kids Do Not See Threats, Just Fun!: A Spooky Halloween Day [ENG]
I have a pretty simple philosophy when it comes to childhood: let children be children. Let them get excited about silly things, dress up as strange characters, discover new traditions, play with their imagination, and enjoy whatever makes their little world more interesting. I don't think every childhood experience needs to have an educational purpose, a cultural justification, or some profound lesson attached to it. Sometimes having fun is a perfectly good reason to do something. And today, October 31st, is Halloween! My daughter is getting dressed up, putting on her spectacular little costume, and getting ready to enjoy a day that, quite frankly, deserves to be celebrated. I love seeing her excitement, especially when she gets to become someone completely different for a while. There is something wonderfully liberating about watching a child take an ordinary day and turn it into an occasion.
One thing I have never quite understood is the insistence on telling children that certain celebrations are somehow inappropriate simply because they supposedly don't belong to our national culture. Here in Venezuela, Halloween sometimes becomes an unnecessary cultural debate, as though allowing children to participate in it were an act of betrayal against their own traditions. I find that reasoning rather amusing, considering how much of what we consider culturally familiar comes from influences that originated elsewhere. Cultures have always borrowed, adapted, mixed, and reinvented themselves. That's how human societies work. We don't have to abandon our identity to enjoy something that comes from another part of the world. And, more importantly, children shouldn't have to carry the burden of these adult anxieties. Nobody is asking them to replace their traditions, forget their history, or adopt an entirely different identity. They're simply being given another opportunity to celebrate, play, and make memories. I really don't see the catastrophe.
For me, Halloween is particularly interesting because it plays with something that children naturally experience: fear. Monsters, ghosts, witches, skeletons, strange costumes, creepy decorations, and all those little things that might seem frightening at first become part of a game. Children get to approach the mysterious from a different perspective. Something that once seemed intimidating can suddenly become funny, entertaining, or even fascinating. They can dress up as the very things that frighten them, laugh at them, and discover that imagination has a wonderful way of transforming uncomfortable feelings into something manageable. Of course, that doesn't mean every child has to enjoy horror or that we should force anyone to participate. There are limits, ages, and sensitivities to respect. But there's a considerable difference between protecting children from genuinely inappropriate experiences and unnecessarily restricting harmless activities because an adult happens to disapprove of them. Childhood already comes with enough rules. We don't need to invent additional reasons to make it smaller.
I also think we sometimes underestimate how important these apparently insignificant experiences become. The costume that takes time to prepare, the makeup, the decorations, the photographs, the excitement of seeing other children dressed up, and the ridiculous amount of imagination involved in putting everything together are all part of growing up. Years from now, she might not remember every detail of October 31st, 2026, but she will have another collection of memories attached to her childhood. And that's what matters to me. Looking at these photographs, I see more than a Halloween costume. I see the result of creativity, preparation, and the simple pleasure of letting a little girl enjoy something she finds fascinating. Her orange roses, the colorful details of her makeup, and that entire spooky appearance make this year's character particularly fun. I'm not interested in making childhood unnecessarily serious just because adulthood has a habit of taking itself too seriously. There will be plenty of time for responsibilities, obligations, disappointments, and all the other wonderful complications of being a grown-up. Nobody needs to rush into that.
So, today, my daughter is going to have fun. She's going to enjoy Halloween, appreciate the atmosphere, take pictures, laugh, and experience the day in whatever way makes her happy. I don't need to turn every decision I make as a mother into a public declaration of principles, but I certainly don't mind admitting that I have no interest in raising a child who feels she needs permission to enjoy harmless things simply because someone else has decided they're not worth celebrating. I want her to be curious about the world, open to different experiences, and capable of distinguishing between genuine dangers and the things adults sometimes turn into unnecessary controversies. There is a whole world of cultures, ideas, stories, and traditions waiting to be discovered. Let children explore it. Let them enjoy the strange, the spooky, the funny, and the wonderful. Let them have their costumes and their little celebrations. Childhood isn't an endless rehearsal for adulthood; it's a stage of life worth enjoying while it lasts. Happy Halloween! And here's to the fun of all kids, especially those whose parents understand that sometimes the best thing we can do is simply let them have a good time.
Comments · 1
I think Halloween it's a good way for express children creativity kids love scary dress and having fun.
