October is my favorite month of the year for many reasons: crisp air, football season, pumpkin everything, my birthday, and of course, my number-one holiday, Halloween. Since I can remember I have loved everything spooky and scary and thanks to my obsession, all three of my kids love it too.  My youngest son has taken a specific interest in all things Michael Myers and loves to dress up like the character. He even found a way to mash up his love of the movie Halloween and his love of music to DJ at Halloween parties in this iconic costume. Since grade school, my youngest son has been a DJ for hire and has been the life of many parties.

Last year, he was able to DJ as Michael Myers at the Kern County Sheriff’s National Night Out/Trick or Treat event. I worried the costume would be too scary for the children coming to trick or treat, but a Deputy Sheriff assured him it was okay to dress that way.  In fact, that night he was treated like a rock star and had a line of children wanting to take their picture with him. They asked him to DJ again at this year’s event on Thursday, October 17th at Stramler Park from 5 to 8 p.m. He’s super excited to be part of such a fun night again!

Over the years with my son’s DJ gigs, I have had to play tour manager, driver, and roadie, all jobs that I love; but I can’t even begin to calculate the hours spent in a car driving him around. Most moms can relate to the inevitable chauffeur job that comes with kids, and Julie Willis writes about it in her Humor at Home article, “Power Outage Panic: Looking for Electricity” on page 18.  She writes about how much time she spent driving her daughter around town looking for electricity for her laptop during a power outage.

As a mom Taxi, one of my favorite parts was the conversations that I’d have with my kids when in the car.  Sometimes, it really was the best place to talk, especially if something was weighing heavily on our minds.  In the article, “Tough Topics: Five Ways to Start a Conversation,” on page 20, Callie Collins gives some great advice on how to talk with your children about some of the scary things going on in the world. One of her tips include finding a neutral space, which is why I think the car was always a safe zone.

This month’s Readers Respond, KCFM asked, “Does Homework Help or Harm Students?” To read the answers submitted by our readers, turn to page 10. The responses range from adds stress to can be beneficial in moderation and everything in between.

In honor of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month, special thanks to Stana Bright, who is featured in the article, “Hello, Happy (Encouraging) Mama: Stana Bright shares her story as a three-time breast cancer survivor, local champion for early detection”. On page 12, Callie Collins writes about how early detection and monthly self-breast exams can save lives and this local mother and grandmother is proof of it.

October is such a magical month to celebrate Fall and Halloween. Whether you are dressing up as Wednesday Addams or Beetlejuice or Wolverine, this season is full of fantasy and lots of candy! If you’re looking for something fun and safe for your kiddos, come say “Hi” to me and my son, dressed up as Michael Myers jamming out at the turntable on Thursday, October 17th.

Happy Halloween!!! BE SAFE!