I've written about my dislike of this holiday, but not for the reasons most would think. I've written about the silliness of people not being able to be their wildest, other than this night. I've written about how so many costumes reveal so many layers for some and hide some for others. The reality is, I do like Halloween from a kids point of view and as someone who has been or at least tried to have been, a role model. My problem has always been the adults, but I don't want to think about that right now.
This is the first time in a decade and a half that I won't get to see "my kids" dressed up. I won't get to see the hilarious things they think up, like "Zombie Batman" or "Figure Skater Princess." I won't get to ask the kids, who costumes are painfully simple, "What are you supposed to be?" Only to be told something completely different than what they appeared to be. This is what I will miss and while some of you may laugh or those who get to experience it, take for granted, it will eat at me all day. Sure seeing kids in their outfits will be nice, but there won't be a connection and the stories, some of which tell themselves, but as time goes on, get better and better in my mind.
Usually my fifth graders didn't dress up for school, but one year, while waiting for all of my kids to arrive, I was told by those who arrived early to prepare. "Wait, til you see Berger!" Now this was a funny kid, but little did I expect that he would take his name to a whole other level. As he appeared, I couldn't control myself. Here was this kid, dressed as a hamburger, but the costume was huge. The funniest was that the burger was horizontal, so nobody could even stand that close to him, but he looked fantastic. As we walked down the hallway, he asked if he could play in the costume. We ended up playing kickball, so I said sure. Of course, Berger decided to use his costume as a battering ram with any kid who dared get in his way. I needed to make sure he didn't take it too far, but by the end of the class, kids were begging to get knocked over. I think the funniest part was when his mother came to get him and saw him still wearing it. She just rolled her eyes and half apologized, to which I explained there was no need.
Three years later, when he was graduating the eighth grade, many of the kids came back to see their old teachers and say hello. Berger made a point to come back and visit the after school class and seemed so grown up. He just stood and talked, telling me about his year and his maturity impressed me. Not the silly kid who I remembered. Then, as he left, he yelled out to the class and said "ask John about the time I hit him with the dodgeball and he farted. I guess, no matter how much older you get, you never lose your sense of humor.
This is the first time in a decade and a half that I won't get to see "my kids" dressed up. I won't get to see the hilarious things they think up, like "Zombie Batman" or "Figure Skater Princess." I won't get to ask the kids, who costumes are painfully simple, "What are you supposed to be?" Only to be told something completely different than what they appeared to be. This is what I will miss and while some of you may laugh or those who get to experience it, take for granted, it will eat at me all day. Sure seeing kids in their outfits will be nice, but there won't be a connection and the stories, some of which tell themselves, but as time goes on, get better and better in my mind.
Usually my fifth graders didn't dress up for school, but one year, while waiting for all of my kids to arrive, I was told by those who arrived early to prepare. "Wait, til you see Berger!" Now this was a funny kid, but little did I expect that he would take his name to a whole other level. As he appeared, I couldn't control myself. Here was this kid, dressed as a hamburger, but the costume was huge. The funniest was that the burger was horizontal, so nobody could even stand that close to him, but he looked fantastic. As we walked down the hallway, he asked if he could play in the costume. We ended up playing kickball, so I said sure. Of course, Berger decided to use his costume as a battering ram with any kid who dared get in his way. I needed to make sure he didn't take it too far, but by the end of the class, kids were begging to get knocked over. I think the funniest part was when his mother came to get him and saw him still wearing it. She just rolled her eyes and half apologized, to which I explained there was no need.
Three years later, when he was graduating the eighth grade, many of the kids came back to see their old teachers and say hello. Berger made a point to come back and visit the after school class and seemed so grown up. He just stood and talked, telling me about his year and his maturity impressed me. Not the silly kid who I remembered. Then, as he left, he yelled out to the class and said "ask John about the time I hit him with the dodgeball and he farted. I guess, no matter how much older you get, you never lose your sense of humor.
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