The Working Mom by Kay LunaSickness and trick-or-treats
Thursday, October 29th, 2009 8:44 amHas the H1N1 scare impacted your Halloween plans?
It has for our family.
We typically go trick-or-treating before Halloween at a special event held at my 91-year-old grandma’s elderly housing complex, but it was cancelled this year. Why? Mostly to protect the old people, who might be susceptible to the virus, if it was brought into the building for that large gathering.
I also see it as protecting children like my daughter, who could catch it from a school-aged kid or adult. She hasn’t had the vaccine yet (and we’re still trying to determine if we’ll get it for her or not — but that’s fodder for a whole other blog post).
Now, we’re thinking twice about where we might take Babycakes trick-or-treating, if we do it at all. She’s still young enough that she would be happy dressing up at home, and “finding” candy hidden around the house to put in her Halloween bucket.
We figure, why potentially expose her to H1N1 when we don’t need to? I keep thinking about all of those strangers and their unknown germs. Am I becoming germaphobic??? My hands are drying out from all the hand sanitizer I’ve been using at work, and I keep hearing about kids and adults getting sick all around me.
On the other hand, this is such a cute age at Halloween. We were really looking forward to seeing her finally enjoy going door-to-door (last year, we made it around two blocks, I’m guessing, and I carried her most of the time).
Here’s a link to a Parenting magazine article that offers a few quick tips for meshing the two (H1N1 scare and trick-or-treat).
So, what do you think? Is this a dilemma at your house, too?
October 29th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
I hadn’t thought of the implications until I read this. Too busy preparing for Halloween I guess. What to do…What to do??? Guess better to think about te ideas know then to worry after the fact when I go to Sneezy-Mc Coughers front door for treats!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:00 pm
Oops meant to say THANKS for the brain food!
October 29th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
We will probably take some hand sanitizer along and make sure we stop to sanitize every once and awhile and we are leaving the wee little one at home, but we are still planning on going. This will be the first year they have gone that they can actually say “Trick or Treat.” Also, the first year dad has been able to go. He has had to work on Halloween night the last couple of years.
October 30th, 2009 at 7:20 am
H1N1 isn’t stopping our plans. I figure my kids are potentially exposed every day, so what’s a little more potential exposure. From talking to others, H1N1 has been milder than normal seasonal flu, so if they get it we’ll deal with it. Plus, if they do get it, then they will have immunity and not get it again. I have 3 and work all day while my husband stays home. This is a fun time that I get to spend with my kids, so I plan on enjoying it. Come see me at http://wifeofhousehubby.blogspot.com.
October 30th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Don’t let it stop you. The swine ran through my kids school in June and yes, the whole family (hubby aside) was down for the count. It was an awful week but then we moved on. Life’s like that… now go get some candy!
October 31st, 2009 at 8:28 pm
Of course, again, getting into the car is much more dangerous. Thousands of people, including kids are going to die this year because we have an idiotic personal transportation system. More than from the flu, Iraq and Afghanistan combined, I’ll bet you.