Decisions

It's that time of year again when the same question is being asked around the country, "what do you want to be for Halloween?"

EM was easy, "a princess ballerina." Score! We have that costume in the dress-up box. JT and ED, well their costume dreams required a trip to the store. Now there are moms out there who can make the most amazing costumes out of cardboard boxes, duct tape, string and a sheet. I am not that mom.

After a stroll down the Target Halloween aisle our budget for October was not looking happy. Two costumes would cost us $50 to $60. Um, NO! But, how to tell the boys that their Halloween dreams are limited to the dress-up box (with many costumes that have never seen the light of Halloween) or the use of their own creativity (read: cardboard box, duct tape, string and a sheet)?

This became one of those teachable moments, a lesson on budgeting our money and making choices. We explained that two costumes were pricey, the equivalent of a family fun activity or two.

It is amazing how well kids accept and understand the facts, it is all in the delivery. Had we simply no, they would have argued, we would have said no and deal with it, and they would have been miserable. (OK, a little bribery helps, they heard family fun ... well, more specifically going out to eat, and were sold on the budget conscious plan, and how that isn't budget conscious is for another blog post.)

ED already has a costume picked out, yep from the dress-up box, and this one was worn Halloween, several years ago. JT is talking about being a race car driver, with a few creative changes to his football helmet ... and some other things (see above about not being that mom.)

Stay tuned for pictures.