'Twas The Day After Halloween

T'was the Day After Halloween

The Day After Halloween: A Nightmare for Teachers, Coaches, and Parents

The costumes have been put away (or stuffed under the couch), the candy buckets are mysteriously lighter than you remember, and the jack-o'-lanterns are one day closer to becoming mushy science experiments. But for teachers, coaches, and parents, the day after Halloween is when the real horror show begins. Welcome to the sugar-fueled apocalypse.

The Morning After: Sugar Crashes and Sleepless Zombies

Halloween night means late bedtimes and candy binges, so naturally, the next morning feels like walking into a classroom of overtired gremlins. Teachers are greeted by children who are either bouncing off the walls like caffeinated squirrels or slumped over their desks like tiny, exhausted zombies. Trying to teach them anything is about as effective as explaining calculus to a cat.

Coaches don’t get off easy either. Evening practices turn into a battle of wills—athletes stumble in, still tasting last night’s Skittles, while you try to coax coherent movement out of them. If drills had a soundtrack, it would be a remix of groans, candy wrappers crinkling, and the faint sound of your soul leaving your body.

Parents: The Frontline Heroes (or Victims?)

Parents, you deserve a medal. Not just for surviving trick-or-treating but for waking up to children who immediately ask, "Can I have candy for breakfast?" Morning routines that used to run smoothly are now derailed by arguments over whether "Fun Size" Snickers counts as a balanced meal.

Meanwhile, you’re trying to convince yourself that you don’t need to sneak a mini Kit-Kat before coffee. (Spoiler: You absolutely do.) And if you were one of the lucky ones who hosted a Halloween party, congratulations! You’ve won an extra helping of leftover cupcake frosting smeared on your couch.

Strategies for Survival (Or, How to Fake Having It Together)

Surviving the day after Halloween takes skill, cunning, and maybe a little candy bribery. Here are some tips to get through:

• Start the Day with Protein (or Bribery): Trade sugary cereals for eggs, yogurt, or peanut butter toast. If that fails, promise your kids more candy later if they eat something resembling real food now.
• Set Candy Rules: Limit the candy consumption. Suggest a "candy tax" where you get first dibs on their haul. Call it "parental oversight." They’ll call it unfair, but they’ll survive.
• Let Them Burn It Off: Teachers, try a classroom dance-off. Coaches, make them run laps. Parents, just send them outside and hope for the best.
• Laugh Instead of Crying: Accept that today will be ridiculous. Acknowledge that at some point, you might lose a battle over whether candy corn is an acceptable side dish.
• Plan for an Early Night: Start the bedtime routine immediately after dinner. Who cares if it’s only 6:30 p.m.? Everyone’s exhausted—including you.

Embracing the Chaos (With Chocolate)

Yes, the day after Halloween can feel like a dystopian nightmare. But it’s also a reminder of the joy, laughter, and sugar-induced hysteria that only Halloween can bring. Whether you’re a teacher herding overstimulated kids, a coach corralling sluggish athletes, or a parent dodging candy negotiations, you’re part of the post-Halloween survival squad.

So, grab a leftover Reese’s, take a deep breath, and remember: this too shall pass. And if it doesn’t, there’s always more chocolate.

'Twas the day after Halloween, when all through the house
All the creatures were stirring, even starting to bounce;
The pumpkins were full of candy they wouldn't share,
When you asked for a Reese's you just got a blank stare.
The children were acting as if they were still in bed,
While visions of goblins danced in their heads;

With dad of at work, and I stuck at home,
I guided the children through the catacombs;
When out on the street there arose such a clatter,
We sprang to the bus before tears started to splatter.
Away to the car I flew like a flash,
I had to get some Starbucks before the mid-morning crash!
The catch up I played to get the house back in order,
Decorations put away (no I am not a hoarder).

But the day flew by quickly, with so much to do,
And before I knew it, my fears had come true.
More rapid than eagles off the bus they came,
And they whistled, and shouted, and called out my name:
"Mom", "Mommy", "Mama" on repeat it rang,
All the way to the porch, up the stairs they sang.
Then as they entered I knew I was in trouble,

One had wet pants, the other ran in on the double.
After backpacks and shoes were finally put up,
We grabbed a candy free snack and filled up our cups.
We began to do homework, but their minds drifted astray,
More tears followed as we talked about arrays.
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When my kids met with an obstacle, they fell down and cried.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard in the garage,
My husband came home, no more sabotage.
He joined us for dinner, a bowlful of curry,
And could tell at once, we had better hurry.
After dinner we whisked them off to bed,
The kids knew for sure they had early bed time to dread.

While we guided them up to bed time with joy,
We didn't even care about stepping over the toys.
We sprang to the sink and helped them brush their teeth,
Then picked a book that would put them to sleep.
Then they heard us exclaim as they drifted off like Frankenstein,
"We did it. They're done. It's time for some wine!"

For all the tired moms and dads out there, Happy November :)