Samhainophobia

Apparently my son has samhainophobia.  The phobia of Halloween.  As far back as I can remember my son has hated all things pertaining to this favorite holiday of mine.  He cannot enter stores with Halloween displays, will not trick-or-treat, and refuses to find the obvious joy in the holiday. 
I know where the phobia started.  When he was three I was walking the mall with him on a Wednesday afternoon when out of the Halloween shop crawls the half body of a zombie.  Right in front of my now terrified three year old child.  I can see if it had been a Friday night, scare the teenagers, but mid-day?  I was so furious.  That was the day the phobia began.  From that day forward my son has cringed at jack-o-lanterns, clung to me in fear while we pass a display of skeletons, and forget the whole creepy clown thing. 
 

I am a lover of all things Halloween.  I always have been since I was a child.  There's something that sparks my imagination this time of year.  Call it the crispness in the air or the impending winters of my youth.  As a child it was corn mazes, candy corn, and scary things.  As an adult I wanted to share this love with my child, was it really too much to ask for?  I love to be scared, dress up, get candy, and watch spooky shows with the lights down low.  There is nothing better to me than scaring someone!  I love ghost shows, Salem witches, and zombies.  I'm a purchaser of skeletons, cauldrons, and witch's tonics!  We are a mixed pair, to say the least!

So what is a mother to do when her favorite holiday is her child's phobia?  Last year I decided to throw him a Halloween party.  I spent weeks creating spooky signs, mice shadows, and paper bats.  I decorated the whole house, including a witch's apothecary, invited his closest friends, and jammed to some good old fashion spooky music.  We played games, ate good food, and got grossed out!!  After all was said and done...well...after it was all over he still fears Halloween.  So, I suppose, that while this time of year is my favorite haunting hour it is for my son a month he'd rather do without!  Some fears will not change no matter how many times I force a Halloween costume on him and make him go out and get me candy!

 

For me, I am raising a child that is my polar opposite.  We're different in so many ways.  But at the same time it is the differences that I am finding mean the most to me!  He has taught me to embrace my inner geek, no matter how much I tried to repress her.  He has taught me to enjoy classical music, even though my ears are accustomed to rock and roll.  He has taught me that science and math can be cool, no matter how much I love to write and read!  Hopefully from me he will learn to laugh more, lighten up some, and never take himself too seriously.  It is, after all, the differences in all of us that make this world an interesting place!