http://www.grandinroad.com/jump.jspitem=41345&maincatcode=null&subcatcode=null&itemID=29069&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C2759%2C2761%2C2769&iProductID=29069

I absolutely love Halloween. Actually that is an understatement. Before kids, I came up with this great idea called Halloween Month. Every Friday AND Saturday night I hosted a spooky movie showing and provided food and beverage (think pumpkin soup, Bloody Mary’s, etc.). The month culminated in a Halloween party. I have to admit, I scared off most invitees with my passion for the holiday, so attendance was sometimes a bit disappointing for events other than the end party. I felt it was the only way to do the holiday justice, however, so I persevered and my poor Manchild tried to support me.

Now that we have kids, I lack the time and energy for a true Halloween Month celebration. Plus, I have to admit, I might frighten some other parents with this. But that doesn’t mean that I shield the kids from the spooky. At very early ages they have started what I call Halloween training. It has been successful so far. Girlchild loves the holiday, and at about 2 years of age I’d take her down the Halloween aisles at Target; where other children cried she would laugh at items like talking skeletons and so on. (Sniffle. I’m so proud!). Now, granted, I don’t have any ridiculously macabre or grizzly decor items. Mostly a little spooky and a little sparkly. But this broom! My heart pounded when I saw it in the catalog. Then I looked at the video online and it was over.

It was delivered yesterday. I can’t say how much the thing rocks. It is like a Roomba that has a broom attached but doesn’t clean (hey Grandin Road: product improvement idea!). When it “rests” in “on” mode, it springs to action when any loud noise occurs beside it (e.g., a clap or voice or knock on the door). It has a silent mode (although the mechanics are a bit noisy so I’m not sure if “silent” is the best description) and music/witch cackling mode. Girlchild and Boychild were amused but a little afraid. No tears though. Dogchild was very afraid and ran upstairs. Which got me thinking….why not use the broom as a training tool for the dog? When he loses his mind when a guest enters our home, I could summon the broom and he would leave the guest alone and run away.

We brainstormed other possibilities for this broom too. We could put spooky things on it perhaps, like a sheet to make a moving ghost, or a small fake pumpkin on top, or fake spiders crawling down. We could detach the broom from the moving mechanism and put something else on top to chase people (small witch? I don’t know, think of all the stuff you see in stores around Halloween! Find something!). We could store the broom in a room with the door closed and if you made noise as you walked by you would hear movement and music and witch cackling. I really feel like the possibilities are endless, as is my enthusiasm.

One note: the broom moves much more easily on bare hardwood floors than on rugs or carpet.