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But if you are the parent of a teen girl you may look at Halloween as a real nightmare. It seems like the movie Mean Girls said it best: Halloween is just an excuse for girls to wear lingere in public.
When I was at the costume shop this week looking for costume ideas for my boys, over and over I noticed that all the girl costumes had the word "sexy" in the title. Sexy Witch, Sexy Fairy, Sexy Nurse...you name it! Halloween can be a fun time to dress up and be someone else for a night, but I think we need to remind our daughters that just like Cinderella, after the ball is over, we are back to normal. We need to remind them that they shouldn't wear or do anything in costume that they won't want to live down on Monday morning.
It's normal to feel more free and unencumbered when we put on a mask or pretend to be someone else, but there can be a danger in that freedom as well. So make sure that you see your daughter's costume, or have a hand in helping her design it. And be sure and talk with her about what is acceptable behavior and what your expectations are of her.
Our kids want and need our boundaries, they feel loved and safe when they are given limits, so step up and draw the line for them.
Then take a deep breath, send them out the door and make sure you're stocked up on candy to appease all the little monsters knocking on your door.
Aren't you glad Halloween is only once a year?