Years ago I bought a wig for my Halloween costume. Sadly, not many people could tell I was dressed up as Marie Kondo. Her bangs definitely looked a lot better than mine.
The ideas in the video still hold. Looking back, they were the beginnings of what became the Dooley Method:
Nurture connection through shared activity
Foster decision-making skills
Model resourcefulness
Practice delayed gratification
When trick-or-treating, it’s natural for kids to think more is better and to compare with their siblings.
This can lead to tears and sibling rivalry that turn a happy outing into meltdowns, often made worse by the sugar rush.
For parents, seeing your children dress up and feel all that excitement can also come with worries about disrupted routines and the limits around sweets you’ve worked so hard to keep.
My intention with this post is to show how we can enjoy the festivities and stay consistent with our family values.
These same skills carry over to editing their toys, books, and clothes. Each choice is another chance to practice being thoughtful and to build confidence.
I’ve worked with kids who used to have stacks of drawings everywhere. Now they go through them on their own, keep the ones they love, and let the rest go without a struggle. They decide which ones to hang up. And once kids trust that they can choose, that confidence grows every time they use it.
This is the kind of practice that happens when I work with families. Their values shape our organizing decisions and the character traits we foster as everyone participates.
It can start with a jar of Halloween candy. Over time, it becomes how your family makes decisions together.
If that sounds like something you’d love for your family to experience, let’s chat.
