On Halloween, Horror and Exposure

Halloween is just about here, and from a teachers perspective, I can tell you it is one of the worst days of the year. It is amazing how an over energized classroom full of kids can drain all the energy out of anyone 25 or older in a matter of minutes. That being said, we also all know what a great day it is for kids and how important it is to have a fun day once in a while.

I do not agree, at all, with the individuals who view Halloween as an "evil" day or satanic in any way. In fact, the day is very strongly rooted in Christian tradition (see the related article) and is nothing more than a fun day for kids. I vividly remember how absolutely magical Halloween was, dressing up as a hobo or a marine, and going out trick or treating. I never once thought of invoking the devil or summoning evil spirits. It was all about fun.

What I do have cocerns with regarding Halloween is the age appropriateness of some of the costumes children wear. The other day, I was privy to two second grade students arguing the merits of Michael Meyers, not the comedic actor, but the killer from the Halloween movies. I was horrified that these kids not only knew who he was, but knew him well enough to debate him. I refrain from making judgements about parental decisons because I know how difficult and crowded a day can get. Sometimes fast food may be the only option for a meal or a child may see a program that is not "child-friendly." But in this case, I did judge the parents. How is it that children seven years old are allowed to watch multiple "slasher movies" to the point of knowing dialogue? I find it inexcusable.

I never wanted to dress as a killer for Halloween because I was not exposed to killers as a child. I wanted to be a hobo because I read books about hobos (and infact,it was a career goal of mine for many years). Marines were heros and thats who I wanted to emmulate. Now it seems common place for young children to come dressed as some of the most brutal characters ever created for "entertainment purposes". They must be choosing the characters because they are familiar with them. The question then becomes, how are they familiar with them?

Parents can not relinquish their responsibility to monitor media for appropriateness. Children will be exposed to plenty of inappropriate material even with the most vigilant parents. I certainly think in the society in which we currently reside, it becomes more important than ever to limit exposure than we can limit and not glorify that which should not be glorified. It is often these same parents who just don't get it when their child acts out in a n aggresive or violent manner, since they never see that at home.