11/01/2026
About 19 years ago, my kids missed school the day after Halloween—and I spent six hours blaming the candy. 😂🎃
At the time, Cepri was in high school and rode a different bus from her younger sister and brother, Tre and TJ. I worked the morning shift, so I left the house before everybody. Every morning, like clockwork, TJ and Tre would call me before leaving for school.
But that morning? No call.
I thought, “Hmm… they’re sneaking Halloween candy to school, and they KNOW I’m going to tell them not to!”
I went on with my shift, making a mental note to ask them about it later.
About SIX HOURS into my workday, the phone finally rang.
“It’s your daughter.”
Now I’m thinking, “Yep. Somebody’s sick from eating all that candy.” 🙄
I picked up the phone.
“MOM!!! Me and TJ went into the closet before the bus came because we wanted to see how the black light worked…”
The lamp was inside the closet, with its cord plugged into an outlet outside the door. When they shut the door, the cord came unplugged.
And the door wouldn’t open.
They were locked in the closet. In the dark.
😳
Let me remind y’all… I had been at work for SIX HOURS.
While I was blaming Halloween candy, my children were having a whole survival experience in their bedroom closet!
“How did y’all get out?!” I asked.
They had tried ramming the door with their shoulders. They had tried kicking it.
And somewhere between trying to escape and figuring out their next move… THEY TOOK A NAP. 😭😂
Took the coats off the hangers and used them as blankets!
Finally, Tre took the hard plastic cover off a Trapper Keeper–type folder, slid it into the crack of the door like a credit card, and managed to get it open.
SIX HOURS LATER.
Once I knew they were okay, I laughed SO hard. All that time, I thought they hadn’t called because they were trying to get away with something.
Turns out, they were just trying to GET OUT. 😂😂😂
And noooo… there wasn’t any candy in the closet! 🤣🎃