Tonight was Halloween.
Well it still is, but since the pumpkin carving, candy getting, trick or treating is done, it's considered over for another 365 days.
As Guinevere was frolicking, from one house to the next with loads of "Trick or treats" and "Thank you"s, I was carelessly following behind, like a faithful puppy, waiting for her bucket to get just a little bit heavy, at which point she would dump her loot into my secret loot bag,
so A: she didn't have such a heavy load and
B: people felt sorry that she didn't have much candy, and would fork over more!
There were tons of kids, dressed up as witches, goblins, even Link and Mario were running around. Laughing and playing, as more parents followed behind. Most parents had friends/significant other's with them, to chat with, so that they weren't bored off their asses while the kids were playing gleefully. We all nodded friendly "hello"s to each other, as we passed, complimented each other's children's costumes, and laughed along with each other, when some cute child dressed up to the 9's, would biff it walking down a slippery slope back to mommy.
However...there was one mother, who if given the chance, I would've slapped the crap out of, just to get her to shut up for 2 seconds. She happened to be at every house we were, even if we took off in opposite directions. She was constantly screaming at her kids "stop running" "make this quicker, I don't want to be out here until 9 o'clock just for you to get some candy" "Shut up, and stop asking questions" "You're walking too slow" "Stop being children"! Ok...that last one was made up, but frankly, that's what she might as well have been saying.
Granted...I don't know her children. They could have been Satan spawn for all I know, however....ONE night a year, you have to get off your ass, walk around the block a few times, to let your children be....kids, trick or treating, while you keep an eye out and make sure they don't get kidnapped, maimed, mauled or killed, all while trying to have a little fun yourself, and saying the occasional "Thank you" and "Happy Halloween" to the homeowners that are giving your kids free candy.
My ass was out there...8 months pregnant, a bladder the size of a peanut, back hurting, muscles ( I didn't know I had) throbbing....my ass better look amazing tomorrow! Feet swollen, exhausted from pure...exhaustion...AND I'm out of shape. Yet I had a blast knowing that Guin was having fun, knowing that she was being a kid, making memories, smiling, laughing. When she looks back on her childhood, I want her to have happy memories! I feel sorry for that woman's children. I hate to think about what they're going to remember from their childhood.
I guess this rambling is of just pure annoyance. Why have children? There are plenty of people out there who would KILL to be able to have the Halloween experience with children, they cannot have. To be able to hold their hands, and take them door to door, with a sense of pride, that, that's their baby.
When I see people in a store, at the park or trick or treating, with their kids, and all that comes out of their mouth, is hateful, mean things, with such spite in their voice...I just want to walk up to them and ask.....
Why are you a parent?
