Are you seeing all the great homemade costumes other parents are doing for their kids? Afraid you are not measuring up? Here is one dad to tell you that you are doing good.
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“I want to be a jellyfish this year!” my daughter announced once the leaves started falling. The wheels in my head had already started turning. A jellyfish costume? How am I going to make that happen? I must make that happen. I need to make that happen for my little girl.
It’s on the thought of every parent who wants to make every moment with their children something memorable for Halloween and it’s the self imposed pressure we put on ourselves that drives us crazy when we are hot gluing a costume together the night before trying to turn a pile of scrap material into magic. It’s the reason we are creating Pinterest boards in July with costume ideas and watching YouTube videos thinking “I could totally pull that off!” and “How hard can that be?”
My kids have been challenging me every year with their wants and desires at Halloween. I have an attic full of bright ideas to prove it. I thrive on the challenge but it can be overwhelming. My son has already announced a desire to be Thor and he told me that we should start building the armor soon so it will be ready for the October 31st reveal. On one hand I enjoy being creative with them but sometimes I just want to go to the store and buy a costume on October 30th and be done with it.
It’s my own fault as Halloween has always been a favorite holiday of mine since the kids were very small. My life as a stay at home dad is filled with days we would just dress up and play and when my kids would want to be something, I’d do my darnedest to make that happen.
Parents, we need to stress less. We need to be reminded that just the special moments with our children are what are really important. We need to remind each other that we all all #doingood just by being involved with our children’s lives. Kids love costumes but they don’t need to be perfect. If the hot glue gun project turns into a hot mess, it shows your kids that no one is infallible.
We also worry what others will think of us if we show up with last year’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle costume or that we aren’t clever or current enough to pull off that last minute costume. Maybe at the zero hour you realized that last year’s princess dress was suddenly too small or shredded from dress-up overuse. Costumes can be easy as long as we don’t stress. Tell your son to put on his Sunday best don a wig to make him The Donald and hope that he doesn’t offend anyone during the class party.
Here’s a reminder from Minute Maid that as long as you are a parent who is engaged and active in your children’s lives that this is what is important. You’re making a difference in your children’s lives by just being there. Let’s forget Pinterest and praise from the homeroom parent. At the end of the day, your kids will still be attending their school’s Halloween party in something that resembles a costume and squirreling away a bag of candy they will have until Easter.
Instead of focusing on what we perceive we are failing at, let’s praise one another for what we are doing well. There is nothing like the praise of others to get us motivated to be the best parents we can be. Leave a comment below recognizing another parent you know. Let’s praise them for their efforts and recognize someone you know who is #doingood for their family.
Originally seen on Dad N Charge.
This post was sponsored by Socialstars and Minute Maid. All opinions expressed are DadNCharge’s alone. #doingood #minutemaid