Fearmongers, and Loathing them in Sault Ste. Marie

It just wasn't the same. Year after year I have loved Halloween. I remember going trick or treating with my sister when she was still in a stroller. I remember the first year I was allowed to go without my parents. Hell I'm pretty sure I remember some years going out alone. (at least until I found some friends) The past several years, while still dressing up, I have positioned myself as candy-giver-outer. While my multi hyphened title offered me some fun, handing out candy to the wee fries and those teen girls who dress in their brother's St Mary's football jerseys. This past year I was disappointed.

My house, which used to get upwards of 60 kids has faded from its former glory. This past Halloween we only got 17 children, only 5 of which were of true "trick or treating age" The rest were highschool kids, the ones I used to hate. But now they are the last ones really keeping the spirit of Halloween alive. Getting scared to death running through the dark and spooky areas near my house hoping for some candy and maybe to steal a pumpkin. While I never stole a pumpkin, I always tried to spook myself out, one year we even cut through the scary park in the Flatmate's neighbourhood.

While I love to think about the past and get all nostalgic I cant help but draw conclusions concerning the very low number of kids. It all goes back to what has been happening at St. Patrick's elementary school. My cousin, in grade 7, has gone there since he was small, in the last several years the PTA or whoever has been restricting the games that can be played at recess. I asked him what they do at recess and he said, "Well, we can't play tag, we can't play baseball, we can't play soccer, we can't play foot--"

"Wait what?! why not?" He explained to me that they are dangerous sports and to watch out for safety they can't let us run around and do stuff. "So, what do you guys do?"

"I don't know, walk around..." These Gen Xer's children are getting the short end of the stick. We played tackle football in our schoolyard and only once did anyone ever get hurt. And this was only just over a decade ago. Of course I'm going to sound like a monster if I come out and say that a spanking now and again keeps a kid in line better than "time out". Violent crime committed by children is on the rise, no doubt partially due to improper child raising behaviour.

I think Royal Tannenbaum said it best when he exclaimed "You keep those kids cooped up -- you've gotta breed some recklessness into them!" I'm not recommending beating your children or not caring where they are or what they are doing, but parents should let them go out on Halloween, I can almost guarantee that the world isn't nearly as bad as CNN leads you to believe. Let kids be kids. I can only hope that the baby boomer's grandchildren can breathe new life into a holiday so cherished by the boomers and their children.