A Linus-like moment.

So, as is tradition chez Scholz, our kids pooled their Halloween loot, selected a few choice items for themselves, then set aside the rest for the Great Pumpkin. Tradition (around our house) says that if you leave your candy outside your door on Halloween, the great pumpkin will fly in, and exchange a fun toy for the candy.
Kids get a toy, parents don't need to worry about all that sugar.

In the past this has worked well. This year, something different. The kids, suitably traumatized from a scary Halloween (smoke machines and zombie like distributors of candy) happily gave up their candy at bedtime. This didn't keep them from jumping around on their beds at 3am (see previous post), but it went smoothly, even with a new friend present.

Trouble started this morning, Sophie, having been roused from slumber by Carly, ran out to find the gift of an indoor bowling set. She looked puzzled, looked around, and started to cry.

"I told the great pumpkin I wanted a Princess doll, one that had a button that would make her dance!" She complained. She looked horribly betrayed. She had in fact told us, the night before that, a princess doll was her hope. Sadly that was after buying the game, and not likely to be her gift anyway (too many princess themed toys and clothes at our house already). She continued her pitiful rant. "I don't understand why he didn't give me a princess doll. He took the candy. Why didn't he leave a doll?"

Part of me wanted to race out and get a doll. Another part wanted to promise it for her impending birthday, or the nearing X-mas. But another part of me thought, well, disappointment is also part of life. And this isn't the worst thing in the world. So maybe just being understanding and sympathetic is the best course. I went with the latter.

After a bit, she and I played a few rounds of plushy indoor bowling, and she warmed to the idea. Maybe the great pumpkin was smarter than she had given him credit for. In the end, as I was leaving she thanked the great pumpkin for the game, to our relief.

Will was so angry to be awoken at 7:30, he was up at 4 after all, that he patently refused to bowl or even acknowledge the existence of the game. At least he didn't seem very angry at the great pumpkin.