He won't wear his costume!
By Sillychick
@Sillychick (3275)
United States
October 31, 2008 12:47pm CST
I'm a little disappointed because I made a costume for my 2 year old son, and he doesn't want to wear it. I have tried every way I can think of to get him excited about Halloween and trick or treating, but he is just not interested in putting on his costume. I don't want to force him. But I am disappointed that he will miss out on the trick or treating experience. I can't very well take him without a costume. I was looking forward to it so much.
Oh well, maybe next year. Has this ever happened with your child? How did you handle it? Did you make them dress up, or just skip it altogether?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
31 Oct 08
hang in there mom. maybe when he sees other kids coming to the door to get candy all nicely dressed up, he may want to do the same. we didnt dress up our kids when they were that little. they started dressing up when they were in school. (kids start school when they are 4 here.)
2 people like this
@trixyteddy (1070)
• India
1 Nov 08
We don't celebrate Halloween here in India. But I remember coaxing my son to dress up for his fancy dress competition. So I think cher913 is right. He might want to dress up once he sees the other kids. Otherwise, let him be the way he is for this year.
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
He ended up putting on the costume as soon as he saw other children dressed up, so it worked out. He had a great time.
@LouRhi (1502)
• Australia
31 Oct 08
Bummer SC! I know exactly how you are feeling. Mind you where I come from trick or treating is not very popular and something I don't understand, despite that there have been a number of occasions I have looked forward and anticipated doing something with my girls only to find out that they won't play properly. They won't wear the dress I had in mind or find some other way to change what I had planned. Sometimes I force them sometimes I don't. On this one though I would follow the suggestion that says take him anyway with the costume on hand and if he changes his mind you can put it on. Have you got a costume as well? Maybe he just doesn't want to be the only one in the family dressed up?
I hope you all have a great night no matter what happens :)
2 people like this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Thanks for your sympathy. It's tough sometimes to remember it's about what he wants, not what I want. Anyway, he changed his mind as soon as he saw other children dressed up and trick or treating.
@sunshine4 (8703)
• United States
31 Oct 08
I don't think that you have to be dressed up to go trick or treating. Why not take him out and bring the costume along. If he sees everyone else dressed up, maybe he will want to put the costume on. Otherwise, no big deal! He is still little, so it isn't a big deal if he wears a costume or not.
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
I may have taken him out without the costume, but not to trick or treat, just to see other children and maybe entice him to put on the costume. As it turned out, he put on his costume after the first trick or treaters came to our house.
@lilybug (21107)
• United States
31 Oct 08
I have yet to have an issue with either of my kids not wanting to put there costume on. I had my daughter try hers on the other day and I had trouble getting her to take it OFF though. She wanted to wear it around the house.
Bummer that your son is not excited about it. I would not make him wear it though.
2 people like this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
No, I would not make him wear it. Luckily, once a few trick or treaters came to our door, he decided he wanted to wear his costume and go out. He had a great time.
@gitfiddleplayer (10362)
• United States
31 Oct 08
Never had this happen, your son could be a case study. Here's what they'll do, first they will fill him full of candy, preferably his choice of chocolate or hard candy, then they will monitor his sleep habits for a week and then they will come to the conclusion that he's a two year old.
2 people like this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Ha ha. Has anyone ever complemented your wonderful talent for sarcasm? Luckily, I don't mind because I agree. Everything he does is all toddler. However, I was hoping for some other ways to coax him to go so he wouldn't miss out on the experience this year.
In true toddler form, he changed his mind last minute and put on his costume as soon as he saw us give other children candy when they came to our door in their costumes.
In true toddler form, he changed his mind last minute and put on his costume as soon as he saw us give other children candy when they came to our door in their costumes.
@arsenl2k7 (34)
•
1 Nov 08
i just take them to a costume shop and get them to choose which one they want so there is no trouble of them refusing to wear it because they chose it
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
He did choose the costume, so that theory's busted. Anyway, he did decide last minute to wear it.
@unusualsuspect (2602)
• United States
1 Nov 08
He's only two years old, for crying out loud. He doesn't even understand what it's all about. Halloween isn't that important. Just because you think it's a big deal, you don't have to force it on your child. Maybe next year he'll want to do the costume and treat or treating, but if he doesn't, he hasn't really missed anything. Don't put your memories and expectations off on him. He doesn't have to be a duplicate of you, and he's entitled to decide what's fun for him, and what isn't. Lighten up.
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Wow, where did that come from? Who said anything about forcing him or making him a duplicate of me? I said specifically that I will NOT force him and that if he doesn't go, oh well-- maybe next year. Try reading the whole post next time before jumping on your high horse!!
And who are you to tell me how important any holiday is that I choose to celebrate with my family? It happens to be important to us. Don't make me feel guilty for wanting my son to experience some of the rapidly disappearing joys I was lucky enough to have as a child. There is nothing wrong with that.
And as it turns out, he did get dressed up, because HE decided to, and he did understand exactly what trick or treating was all about, and he DID enjoy it. Two year olds understand a lot more than most people give them credit for.
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
1 Nov 08
I am sorry about that it is disappointing isn't it? I have a two year old daughter and she is the same but with clothes, I cannot get her to wear a dress, she is my only girl out of three boys and I had bought her all these lovely dresses for summer and she would not wear a single one. I guess at two they are at an age where already they have their own minds and know what they want. I did not force her to wear the dresses as that would have been cruel but I do wish she would have just given me the satisfaction of wearing one!
1 person likes this
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Yes, they do like to assert themselves. Dress is one big way to do it. My son has been finicky about what he wears lately, too. This could be the beginning of some real power struggles. Oh, well- that's what toddlers do best.
He did change his mind at the last minute, and I'm glad because we all had a lot of fun.
@saundyl (9783)
• Canada
2 Nov 08
My cousins little girl (also two) decided she didnt want to wear her lion costume yesterday. She solved it by telling her Nonni (her grandma) had bought it for her and she wouldnt want to make nonni sad by not wearing it when nonni came to go trick or treating with her. She ended up wearing it and having a great time.
We all figured that if it had been a pink girly costome she'd have been all over it rather than a fuzzy lion costume. Shes a very opinionated little girl already and so cute too
@Sillychick (3275)
• United States
3 Nov 08
Two year olds often are quite opinionated. They're just learning to express themselves, so they practice every chance they get! My son changed his mind last minute and ended up wearing the costume and having a great time.
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