LEGALizing Halloween...for 4 year-olds

With Halloween rapidly approaching, we've been receiving at the home, the annual October 31st "what you can & can't lists" from our children's schools.

Our youngest is currently attending a preschool provided by a local religious institution (which will go unnamed).

Primarily for reasons of geographic convenience, we have our 4 year-old attend this preschool of which we've been relatively pleased...

...until we received the "Halloween Letter"...

First, apparently we can't use the word, "Halloween", but instead have bent toward the ever popular politcally correct, "Fall Party". The irony of this is that the origins of Halloween are steeped deep in "Christian" traditions...but I digress...

...and then we come to the rules for the wearing of the costumes!

Oh boy...

Rule #1

Costumes must be:

Fun & Child-Friendly

Rule #2

"We CAN NOT have any costumes that are witches, ghosts, monsters, vampires, or anything violent" (oh and all of these words are printed in the color red and underlined to imply importance)

I always find lists of rules interesting...because I'm not sure where it ends? So what if my 4 year old wants to be the bride of Frankenstein? Is that okay? It's not on the list...And on the internet the other day, I saw the cutest little mummy costume for children...I guess that's ruled out because mummy's are considered violent (thanks alot Boris Karloff!)

And what about the ever-popular Batman, Spiderman, Superman...did you see any of these recent block-busters at the local cinemaplex? Violent? I think so...

Bottom-line is this...by attempting to provide a safe, comfortable environment for children during all hallow's eve celebrations, we've instead made a mockery of a parents decision to expose their children to the world...As soon as we begin to make lists, we've strolled down a dangerous road.

WHERE DOES IT END?

I would end my rant here if the "best" part of the halloween letter has still not been revealed:

"There is no need to pack a lunch since we will be having pizza delivered"

Apparently the powers-at-be at preschool deem vampires more detrimental to my child than pizza. Have we not looked around? Childhood obesity is nutty...adult obesity is crazy. And yet, we announce that pizza will be PROVIDED by our schools.

And I know, I get it...it's no big deal...pizza delivery is easy, uncomplicated, and convenient...

But please don't instruct my 4 year-old that she can't wear her witch costume (see picture!) and then feed her with food that has the potential to do real harm to her health and well-being.

C'mon schools...help us as parents create a safe, comfortable, healthy environment too...

...think before you write...BE CONSISTENT.