<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=838528320191540&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Donate

Latest Broadcast

Confronting Guilt in Motherhood - Part 3

Guest: Julie Barnhill

Recent Broadcasts

Donate

October 12, 2022

Talking to Kids About Halloween

Question: Dr. Dobson, what do you tell kids about Halloween?
 

Answer: Halloween is a rather different story. Whereas it can be argued that Christmas is a Christian holiday with Christian origins that has suffered the effects of growing secularism, Halloween can be traced to distinctly pagan sources. It is reasonable, then, that many believers would find some aspects of its celebration disturbing. I agree with them in that regard. The traditional emphasis upon the occult, witches, devils, death, and evil sends messages to our kids that godly parents can only regard with alarm. There is clearly no place in the Christian community for this "darker side" of Halloween.
 

Even here, however, there is a place for some harmless fun. Kids love to dress up and pretend. If the Halloween experience is focused on fantasy rather than the occult, I see no harm in it. Make costumes for your children that represent fun characters, such as Mickey Mouse or an elderly grandmother, and then let them go door-to-door asking for treats. This side of Halloween can be thoroughly enjoyable for the little ones.
 

Let me add, again, that I've given you my personal opinion. I realize that the topic is controversial among committed Christians, and I'm sensitive to the reasons for their misgivings. My final word to parents on the subject would be "Stay true to your own convictions."
 

From Dr. Dobson's book Complete Marriage and Family Home Reference Guide.

Related Articles

  See More Articles

August 16, 2023

A Force More Powerful Than Sin: A Transgender Testimony

We Christians are facing a cultural tsunami: its name is transgenderism. Men, we are told ...

June 06, 2023

7 Ways Dads Influence Their Daughters

Fathers have an incalculable impact on their daughters. Most psychologists believe, and I ...

May 04, 2023

Prager and Pornography: Why We’ve Got to Kill Lust, Not Cultivate It

Dennis Prager went viral recently for proposing that pornography usage is a viable option ...