My Baby (Who’s 13) is Too Old for Halloween

It's finally happened. No more home-made Halloween costumes. No more store-bought costumes (because Mom, HOME-MADE COSTUMES ARE NOT COOL!!!!)

According to a recent survey, 19 percent of people believe that children are too old to trick-or-treat when they hit 13. Which is funny, because my baby Declan turned 13 last month and announced to me that he is too old to trick or treat. A flood of feelings and memories emerge...his first halloween costume when he was just a month old. Actually he had 3 to chose from. He's a September baby and when he was born all my relatives thought a great gift would be a costume. Choices between a dalmation, dragon or kitty. I decided to go with the dragon..much more dignified I figured.

As he got older there was more pressure on ME. I'm a local theatrical costume designer so BIG things were expected of me but all I wanted was to make the perfect costume that would make him feel like one of the cool kids. One of our favorites was using tin foil and boxes to make a kick-ass robot...SO EASY! Then there was the "chick magnet" (my sons idea) I bought foam and carved out a horse shoe magnet and hot-glued little chicks on it. Seriously...his idea. I still laugh when I think about it.

Now that I think about it, for the past few years I've had an attitude when I see kids of a certain age trick-or-treat thinking that they should leave that for the little kids and stop hogging all the good candy! But I guess as different and unique as I like to think I am, when it comes to my son I will always think of him in the little dragon costume...just like any other mom I guess.

Hey, wait a minute...who am I going to steal butterfingers from now?