Scarecrows and Halloween

Tonight I was reading a bedtime story to Akins and we got more off on the pictures in the book then the story itself. Remember, there are LOTS of things that are so common place to us that he has never seen or heard of before. The book is the Red Hen some of you may remember. Anyway, on one of the pictures there is a scarecrow in a field, cartoon version making it even more difficult to explain. Akins says "Mommy, important man?" Anyone in a suit, tie, or uniform is typically an important man. I said "well to the farmer this is an important man, but it is really a pretend man, it's not real. The farmer puts the pretend important man in the field to scare away birds so they won't eat the corn" He ponders a moment and points to the duck and goose (both characters in the book) and says "birds eat the corn?" Now, this opens a whole other discussion about birds that fly and birds that like water and that the duck and the goose are not the birds that the scarecrow are designed to protect the corn from. I'm still not sure he is clear but eventually he seemed satisfied. I am certain there will be a lot more conversation about scarecrows in the coming nights.

We saw our first halloween stuff the other day and I'm wondering how do I explain this one to him and remembering Sue's blog of trying to explain Santa Claus to Abegail. Oh boy!