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Halloween is only six weeks away. Have your kids started dropping hints as to what they’d like to be this year, like mine? It may seem a smidgen too early to be thinking about costumes, but that all depends on your family’s plans and upcoming events.

In our town, the kids not only have their school Halloween parties and trick-or-treating, but there are several costume-encouraged community events in the weeks preceding the holiday, too. Last year, I made the mistake of taking my sons to one such Halloween kiddie festival without costumes on. I was totally embarrassed, and my kids felt left out of an opportunity for silly fun. I learned two things from that experience: 1. Read fliers more closely, and,  2. Never be the mom with the kids without costumes.

I certainly won’t be committing the same party fouls this year. In fact, I’ve already started checking out costume ideas, and will be presenting a few options to my sons for their input this weekend. I’ve learned over the last few years that pre-screening and choosing several options before getting the kids involved is a good idea for a few reasons.

1. I can weed out costumes that I feel are inappropriate for their ages.
2. I can make selections that fit into my budget.
3. I won’t have to go through 10,ooo webpages, fliers and stores with them before they make up their minds.
4. They won’t be overwhelmed with choices.

If you or your children know exactly what you’re looking for, it will be easier to find it, make it or order it now, rather than scrambling at the last minute. Also, if you like to order costumes online, shopping now is a good idea, because if a costume doesn’t work out, you still have time to return and replace it before you’ll actually need it.

Planning your children’s Halloween costumes early can save you a whole lot of grief in October. You won’t have to worry about the last-minute costume panic or being the mom at the Halloween festival who’s trying to fashion a clever getup out of items from her purse and what’s laying around the minivan.

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For the younger kids, it’s easy. They always want to be a dinosaur or some other cute creature because those are fun looking, and they won’t scare them. My oldest, on the other hand, just turned five and has discovered how cool scary can be.

I am pretty liberal when it comes to letting my children pick out their costumes. Unless there is something objectionable to it, I have no problem. This year, I had a problem. My oldest seemed to gravitate to anything that had a sword, spear, trident, hook or axe.

They had ninjas, pirates, devils, demons and every other costume under the sun, and a seemingly endless supply of plastic pointy things to go with them. Awesome… NOT!

He wouldn’t budge. I wouldn’t budge. My main problem is my little Captain Jack Sparrow would run someone through with a plastic sword. They may not be sharp, but they can still hurt. It was obvious that we were headed to a tantrum, as he tried to convince me that there no problem with him being a ninja warrior for Halloween, complete with throwing stars and a katana blade.

Part of me felt sorry for him. Maybe I was being a stick-in-the-mud mom, but I have two other small kids to worry about as well. I know he shouldn’t be punished because of his younger brothers’ potential for destruction and possible maiming.

In the end, we made a compromise. He got to be a fireman, complete with hat, and all was right with the world again. Every year I debate with myself on what costumes are appropriate for my children. I am sure there are parents who are less strict than me and other who are more so.

When I see a small child with a plastic sword or other dangerous item, my son sees a friend with a cool sword. But what I see is a kid with an eye-removal device. I know I am a little overprotective, but that’s just how this mom rolls. Maybe I will lighten up next year.

Photo Source: flickr.com/photos/sponselli/60040726/in/photostream

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But then, the attention turns to us. Every year, several people ask me if I’m going to dress up, and the answer is always an emphatic ‘no’. As much as I adore the season, I “outgrew” the desire to draw that kind of attention to myself somewhere around 12-years-old. When free candy stopped being an incentive, I lost interest.

Someone, however, didn’t give my son the memo that mommy’s not a fan of making a fool of herself in public. The first time he asked me, “Mommy, what are you gonna be?” I tried to shrug it off and tell him I didn’t know yet. The second time, I told him most mommies don’t dress up. The third time, I started searching for ideas on the Internet.

How was I, a mere mortal, supposed to look into those big blue eyes and tell him I wanted no part of it, even though it would make him happy? I just couldn’t do it.

I have to admit, I’ve always been entertained by the handful of parents out there that dress up every year. I was amused by their silly costumes and secretly jealous of their confidence. After all, it takes some real self-esteem to paint your face green and don a witch’s hat at 35.

It looks like this year, thanks to my son’s constant badgering, I will join the ranks of the costume-clad parents, trick-or-treating at the mall, hoping not to run into someone I know. Or that if I do, they’ll have been bullied by their tots into wearing a banana costume.

Since I decided I’d be decking myself out for the occasion, I’ve become more and more excited about it. I just had to change my mindset. Halloween is about fantasy and magic, and why should the kiddies have all the fun? I don’t want any of my children to grow up to be grouchy, Halloween Scrooges who forget that imagination is important. Imagining is the first step in dreaming. Dreaming is the first step towards success.

So, with my new attitude, I’m going to rock a costume AND enjoy it. It will show my kids that being a responsible adult doesn’t mean that the world of magic, mystery and just-for-the-heck-of-it fun has to end.

Will you be dressing up this Halloween?

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/lorenkerns/4061981719/

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We’re a Halloween loving family, there’s no doubt about that. With the exception of carving pumpkins, which we do about a week before the big day, all we have left is buying the kids’ Halloween costumes. They already have an idea of what they want, so the negotiations have already started.

There are four things I’m especially concerned about when buying costumes for my little stooges:

Age appropriateness: I don’t want my 5-year-old son wearing a ninja costume to the preschool Halloween parade. I’m all about make believe-y goodness, but I’m not big on promoting violence, especially at school.

Safety: Darker colors are harder to see at night, so if my son chooses a gorilla costume (which, trust me, is wildly appropriate), we’ll have to add some reflective patches, just to be safe. Also, masks need to fit well so a child can breathe and see easily.

Price: I love my little dudes and I want them to be happy, but I also want to get as much bang out of my buck as possible. If a costume doesn’t seem to have a lot of life in it, this girl isn’t going to shell out a huge wad of cash for it.

Quality: Quality goes hand in hand with price for me. I have three sons who like to dress up in costumes and give their imaginations a workout. I don’t mind paying a little extra cash for a well-crafted costume, because rather than moth-balling them in the attic, I throw them in their dress-up wardrobe.

These are things that concern moms, but kids don’t care about in the least. They want what’s cool and fun and our criteria doesn’t even come close to being a priority for them.

So, like I said, we’re in the negotiation phase, and the trio seems to have elected my oldest son as their representative. I’m fairly certain he’ll be a politician someday. He’s pretty slick, and remembers absolutely everything. I can usually persuade him to see things my way, eventually, but it’s getting harder as he gets older. Wish me luck!

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/ikoka/4059603059/

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                Plush Infant Lion Costume: $28.99               Lil’ Lion Infant Costume: $44.99

You can go with the cute and comfy lion costume on the right, or the the costume with a bit more detail and “pazzaz” on the left. 

                                                       Shark Bunting Infant Costume: $15.99

I’ve always said the bunting costumes are my fave beacuse the costume designers can be more creative.  If this shark had legs, it just wouldn’t work!  It looks like the baby model is saying “Pshhh, mommy please.”                      

                                    Lil Penguin Elite Collection Infant Toddler Costume: $39.99

        Daisy Infant Bunting Costume: $18.99            Infant Sunflower Baby Costume:  $21.99

                     Cookie Monster Costume: $39.99                         Elmo Costume: $39.99

                 Ragamuffin Dolly Costume: $22.99          Ragamuffin Sailor Costume: $22.99 

…or as we all know them, Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes  I think these costumes would be super cute for boy/girl twins!

Find at Smarter.com: Shop for more baby halloween costumes.
                                       Buy kids’ halloween costumes.

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Click here for Smarter.com’s selection of babies’ & kids’ Halloween costumes.

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                                     Bunting Costume: $20                      Infant Walker Costume: $24.99

This “Red Hot Chili” costume is very unique and the costume designer kept in mind the age range of children this would work for because they can’t walk just yet. On the right, is a style for a tab bit older babies who are able to walk, but it doesn’t look quite as cute as the one on the left. It isn’t clear exactly what the costume is. It could pass for a strawberry, tomato, etc.

Tootsie Roll Costume: $24.95

This “Tootsie Roll” costume is funny & cute. I want to pinch this baby’ fat little cheeks!

Humpty Dumpty Costume: $29.99

This “Humpy Dumpty” costume is hillarious, but seems like it would be uncomfortable for a child to wear for a long period of time:

Princess Leia Costume: $26.99

This “Princess Leia” costume is great for all you Star Wars fanatics who want to pass down your obsession to your children:

Go Fish Costume: $14.99

This “Go Fish” costume is adorable. Well, I don’t know what is more adorable. The baby model who knew to pose with a fish face or the costume itself.

Find more Babies’ & Kids’ Costumes here.

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This “Pink Flamingo” baby costume is pretty unique. I’ve never seen another baby wearing it.  Also, I love how the baby’s cheeks are proturding out of the custume.  The adult version, on the left, is not nearly as cute and does not look comfortable at all.  How can you sit down?

                              Price: $49.99                                                                       Price:  $59.99

This infant bunting “Hot Dog” costume is hilarious!  The adult version looks like the man is making a phallic or perverted statement.

                                 Price: $19.99                                                                       Price: $39.99

This infant bunting “Whoopie Cushion” costume for babies on the right is funny & cute because whoopie cushions are normally small.  Also, you can’t see the babies little legs.  The adult version; not so much.

                                  Price: $19.95                                                               Price:  $34.95

I think they may have photo shopped the baby into this “Ice Cream Cone” infant bunting costume.  Doesn’t the baby kind of look fake?  Regardless, on a REAL baby this costume would be CUTE.  The adult version is just…..unflattering. 

                                   Price: $19.99                                                                    Price: $39.99

Click here to find more Babies’ & Kids’ Halloween costumes.

Related posts:

1. Baby Halloween Costumes: New for 2008
2. Cute Halloween Costumes for Babies
3. My Favorite Babies’ and Kids’ Costumes