# Opinion please



## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

I need some help from you nice people as to my display. In my brain, warped as it may be, I picture the way I want the yard to look, and most times I come pretty close. There are some kids in our neighborhood who have always been afraid to come into the yard. Last year I let them come help make tombstones, that I thought they were going to take home with them, and they hung up some spider webs. It let them feel that they were helping, and they were really proud of that. And, it helps them get over some of their fear, although at night with the sound effects and the lighting, they probably still won't come into the yard. (I'm grooming them to be actors for us in the future...so I want to be as friendly and let them help as much as possible)

Now, they just left and my question is....do I leave the yard as they left it, even though it's not exactly what I was going to do, so I don't hurt their feelings and ruin their enthusiasm, or do I go out now that they're gone and redo it. The problem with that is that when they come back by with their parents they will see that I've moved things, and I don't want them to be afraid to come by and offer to help because they really enjoy it. Sure I have some stones that I never would have put out in my yard, but I guess that's a small price to pay to keep the Halloween spirit alive for a group of kids. Do I leave it, or fix it up and be selfish?


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## MistressOfMayhem (Aug 5, 2007)

hmmm good question. How about a compromise, you could leave it the way it is for a week or so, then closer to Halloween you could set it up the way you'd like to see it. It would give the kids a chance to show it off, and then you could also enjoy having the way you picture it. just a thought anyways.


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## Daphne (Oct 18, 2006)

How about telling them you think y'all might want to get together to rearrange a little bit and let them help you change it? You could guide them to do it the way you want and that way, you are happy and they don't get their feelings hurt. You could phrase it in such a way that how they did it was great but you were curious if things were moved around just a little if it would show off their work even more effectively.


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## JohnnyL (Aug 17, 2006)

Have someone steal it, then return it, then put the stuff back the way you want it. 

I'd fix it up if it were my yard. I doubt they'll feel bad about it.


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

This is very cool of you to let them help out, and even to go out of your way to help them get over the fear. Depending on their level of involvement in the setup (and the personality of the kids) there really may be a level of pride in what they did to help. I like Daphne's idea of keeping it for a while, and then when the time is right changing things up...kind like this "wow, this looks great. I really like the tombstone (or whatever) that you made...the display looks awesome....ya know what would REALLY be cool...." then guide the process to YOUR liking. 

As far as the fear of the lights and sounds, etc. , Allow them to be the operator and control some things, if only for a short while. If you have any startle props, give them the secret to activate it. I have a TCT that I always end up scaring some little ToT and he goes crying to mom....I feel awful when this happens, but if I can get the kid to actually press the button to activate the can, then he is in control of the scare, and will giggle and laugh when he gets to scare the next person...it always works! 
You are on the right track with them....raise those minions right!!!!!


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## THeme ssaGE (Jul 16, 2006)

You know what Trishanne, I've had A LOT of kids on my block help me throughout the years. I defenately included them but I only gave them simple tasks that wont affect my artistic vision. Man, the whole block loves me...seriously so many kids....I can hear them playing right now. It's hard to tell them no, but you know they're gonna follow your lead. I've had kids ask really innocently why a particular prop looks so scary, or is cut up and gory. They kind of dont understand that morbid side of Halloween yet. But they'll follow your lead. I think your handling it great, it seems to me that your doing your yard haunt thing, and spreading good Halloween vibes at the same time. This world was meant to be shared with eachother.


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## Hawks Hill Haunter (Apr 1, 2007)

Definitely agree that you getting them involved is great! And I know in my area, Halloween isn't as popular as it was when I was a kid...with all the malls doing "Mall-oween" and the colleges are available to trick or treat down certain halls. They are removing the fundamental basic of what we've grown to love about the holiday.

So by all of you getting these kids involved, maybe you're solidifying the next generation of haunters and thus keeping the holiday active - as it should be.

Another idea for your dilemma - how about having a section of your yard the "collaborative haunt"? Use that section for the kids (with your guidence) to set up stuff and you can still do what you want everywhere else.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Thanks for all the input. I have decided that, although these particular stones may not be exactly what I would have chosen to do, I'm keeping them there so that the kids can show their family and friends what they did. As for the pile of Blucky bones they put out in the yard and scattered all over the cemetary, and I do mean ALL OVER the cemetary, I've told them that the bones can stay there for a few days but then I'll be moving them so that when the October winds pick up, they don't blow all over the neighborhood. I also went out and bought a few bags of spider webs so that there is something for them to do when they stop by, and I carved out a few simple stones so they have another project to work on and paint when they are here. I kept them simple, with just RIP or something simple on them. I figure that this keeps them interested and I can always stick these stones in the back part of the cemetary for filler. The more I thought of it, the more I realized that I really don't want to discourage them and that I was just being a bit selfish. So what if it doesn't look perfect...it's still ALOT better than anything anyone else has out around here, and that's why they keep coming back. Thanks again guys.


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## edwood saucer (Aug 21, 2006)

Thats very cool trishaanne. Compromise is tough - it's tough doing it with my own kids - but - since it really hurts nothing - and the kids love having their opinions heard - it makes you look like the hero for little to no effort!

Keep up the good work.


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