The Po Show

Boo

I hate Halloween.

Well, I guess I don't hate it, but I don't really like it. I hate all the gory displays and frankly I have never, ever understood why people like to be scared. I get scared easily, and find it anything but enjoyable. I hate scary movies; they make me want to jump out of my skin and leave the room (hard to leave the room with no skin, though, I guess...).

Both of my kids seem to have inherited my aversion to scary stuff. But it really manifested itself strongly for Matthew this year. He got very freaked out yesterday at school when they read a scary story in class and listened to some scary songs in music. He couldn't stand that they showed Goosebumps on Cartoon Network all weekend (and he was adamant that NO ONE accidentally turn on Channel 32, because he could not bear to watch ONE SECOND of the show).

And today he decided he just could not go trick or treating. He couldn't handle the possibility of seeing scary costumes, or of there being scary sounds or special effects inside the doorways. He really wanted to go because of the candy, but he was scared. He had an appointment with his therapist this afternoon, and they worked out a plan in which he and Tessa would go out before it got dark, and if he was too overwhelmed he could ask Ross to go home. But he decided when we got home that he wanted to forego it all together.

In a way I thought it was good, a way for him to take control of his situation. But he was still afraid when he went to bed tonight, afraid of waking up and thinking about the scary stuff again.

Certainly the fact that he hasn't slept well in over two weeks now must be contributing to this anxiety, both elements feeding off each other like piranha. Last night I don't think he really slept at all. He said that since he couldn't remember when he was a baby (he's heard plenty of stories about how he never slept when he was a baby), last night was the worst night's sleep he's ever had in his life. Man, I didn't think it could get any worse, and hoped it would start getting better since his psychiatrist lowered his meds on Monday, but this is definitely worse.

Please, please, let him sleep tonight. Halloween is over.