Fright Night

There aren't many days of the year that you are actually allowed to completely embarrass your children. In fact, I can only think of one. Halloween. No matter what you wear, do, or say, you're totally cool, because everything goes.

This was not really an issue until my oldest daughter got into 2nd grade. Suddenly, Mom is still cool, but only when being 'cool'. But if I'm trying to be cool, she thinks I'm a dork, and tells me just to be like Mom. So then when I just go about my usual Mom stuff, preparing everything for the kiddos the way I always do, there is always a kink in the rope now. Something that was okay before is so not okay now. It's so confusing trying to be cool for your kids.

I got out all of our cute little pumpkin baskets to go trick or treating. My youngest two girls snatched them up with huge smiles, ready to fill them up with every possible thing to rot their teeth and make their grandpa Pops shiver (he's an orthodontist). But not my oldest. Nope. The pumpkin baskets are apparently now 'stupid'. So, being the 'cool' Mom that I am, I calmly collected myself and offered to go to my closet and find something more appropriate for her to carry around. I struck out there too. No backpack suave enough and no purse pretty enough. Finally, I did what I usually do, throw my hands in the air and say "Fine, just get whatever you want." Which turned out to be some pink and purple sparkly messenger bag completely not matching her costume or the customary idea of a Halloween bag. But, I guess she felt cool.

We are now at the point where the oldest ran about ten miles ahead of us, with a friend, house to house, so they could feel like they were 'by themselves.' Good Lord. Already? God help us!

I have noticed, though, that I am suddenly so much cooler when I dress up for Halloween. So the hubby and I joined the fun. We try to do it most Halloweens. And I have a feeling that as the years go by, our cool factor is going drop and drop, so we are going to have to keep up-ing the ante each year. But this year, we got the thumbs up. So at least we weren't soooo embarrassing that she was willing to get into the car with us for a ride home!


And the best way to know that you're still cool to your kids, is when you get home, and they still crawl into your lap, and snuggle in for some Mommy time.

alt="" style="width:1px;height:1px;border:0px !important;" />