That.
This is our first year with an official "school" Halloween. We've attended many holiday parties with the girls, but obviously this is our first school party.
Madison's preschool isn't doing a huge party. The three year olds have a "pumpkin parade". They've been creating decorations and learning about pumpkins for a few weeks, and all their artwork will be on display. No costumes necessary, but they have created their own wearable pumpkins that they'll wear when they march around the playground and the parents go camera crazy. Then we'll all assemble in the classroom for some treats.
Low key. Thirty minutes of the morning for showing off and snacks.
Guess who is now providing the snacks?
Yup. Me. And me alone.
How'd that happen?
Well, my own ignorance on all things preschool and eagerness to be a good preschool mom combined into volunteering.
Here's how it went down. In the morning, we pull our cars up along the fence and walk the kids into the entrance. We read them the white board, give them a squirt of the Purell, and send them into the classroom with a hug and kiss.
Today, when I was reading the board to Madison, I noticed a little note on "her" side of the whiteboard (the green room's side). It said:
If you are interested in helping out with snack for our pumpkin party, please talk to Mrs. B____ or Mrs. M____ when you drop your student off today!
We were first today, and as I walked Madison into the room, I conversationally said, "I'd be happy to help out with snack!"
And I was! Of course I'd help. I was happy to add a treat to what would surely be an impressive display of preschool appropriate Halloween treats!
What I wasn't expecting was the teacher to clap her hands together, sigh with relief and wipe off the white board while saying "Well, that was easier than we thought it would be! Thank you so much for providing the snack!"
Um, what?
Did I just agree to be the sole snack provider at the very first preschool party?
Yeah, it seems like I did.
As I left, with instructions that I could provide anything that I wanted (provided it was egg and nut free of course) I realized...
Holy cow.
Everyone will be there to witness this. All the moms. Some of the dads. All the teachers. All the kids. All the younger siblings. This isn't me bringing snack for a birthday that only the kids and teachers will see.
And wait, am I providing snack for the 12 kids? Or the 12 kids plus guests?
What do I do?????
Seriously, what do I do?
Yeah, I've seen the pinterest orange and banana treats, and I can totally fall back on that. But go ahead and call me a part of the obesity epidemic. I think a treat on Halloween can be a, well, treat.
Not to mention that if I'm sharing a treat with 12 preschoolers, 20 adults, and however many toddlers, that adds up to a lot of fruit. Yes, I do plan on clarifying exactly who I'm providing snack to before showing up.
Yeah, yeah, I shouldn't care. But we all know that I do. And I'm going to stress about this for the next week.
So help me out here: what is the perfect balance of sweet but not too sweet, cute but not over the top, fun but not crazy Halloween snack that I could conceivably serve to 12 or 40?
