OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — Halloween is filled with tradition — candy corn, trick-or-treating and costumes. But tradition doesn't have to look the same for every family.
Rachel Schulte, a mom of three in Overland Park, is a contributor to "Kansas City Mom Collective." This year, she wrote an article with suggestions for keeping Halloween inclusive as one in six children in the U.S. have either a developmental disability or delay, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Halloween should be comfortable and happy for everyone," Schulte said. "And so it doesn’t have to look like a traditional Halloween.”
One of Schulte's boys has Autism. As an alternative to candy, she provides her son with a bucket filled with toys, an accomodation she said other families can easily provide at their homes, too.
“You have these little fun straws, these slimy things that are fun, these little cat ears are adorable, bouncy balls, little bubbles. And so these are not only great for kids who cannot eat the candy, but also kids who are under two," she said.
She also doesn't dress her son in costumes that pose sensory challenges, meaning anything that's bright, makes noise or covers his face.
“What’s great about this is it’s just a simple zip-up," Schulte said. "You can put it on over their clothes, there’s no tags here or anything like that, and if they’re not comfortable with the hood, just leave it off," she said.
Another tip Schulte said she does with her son is monitor his physical energy, which sometimes means taking a shorter route or heading out earlier.
But her biggest focus on Halloween for each of her children, as well as every child, is making everyone feel safe and accepted.
“All our children are different, but all we want is the best for them," Schulte said. "And so, to me, it’s both making the season special for all my children, but it’s also modeling inclusion.”
—
