Suddenly, there are zombies everywhere. And no, you didn’t wander onto the set of The Walking Dead; it’s Halloween time! It’s been years since you’ve hit the streets, pillow case in hand, asking for candy from the neighbors. Now that you have a kiddo of your own, you’re thinking that it’s time to pull out the costumes and get trick or treating. Your little one is still in the under-two set, and you’re not sure whether she’s ready for a Halloween night out. Take a look at the reasons why you should still go ahead and take your baby out for tricks and treats!
1. You get to eat candy. Um, free candy. Yes, please! No one’s saying that you should use your totally adorable gurgling little bundle of joy (dressed up in an equally adorable costume) to score free sugary snacks. But, if she’s not going to eat the candy, you might as well. Your six-month-old is far from ready to gobble up pumpkin-shaped peanut butter cups and chocolate-coated caramel cookie bars. Hey, she doesn’t have any teeth yet. This makes your baby’s inability to chow down on a chocolate bar a non-issue. So, go ahead and give her a fun night out (and keep her candy she can’t eat for yourself!).
2. It’s perfect “take a stroll” weather. There’s a 50/50 chance that the end of October weather will actually be beautiful. When the Halloween night forecast is barely even sweater weather, taking baby out for a stroll might be in order. If you’re already heading out for a trek around the block, you might as well dress your little one up and visit a few neighbors too! Fresh air, free food and costumes too! What could be better?
3. You’re totally into Halloween. Some people spend hours meticulously stringing lights from a tree. Others obsessively check Pinterest for the absolutely, positively best turkey recipe out there. But, you are all about Halloween. Before baby, you would dress up, carve pumpkins and park a massive inflatable ghost in the front yard. If Halloween is your “thing,” bringing baby into the fold is a must-do. Considering that you picked out your costume sometime around July 4, you might as well add on a mini-me version and be a group costume.
4. The gang’s all going. Your neighborhood BFFs and their (slightly older) kids are ready to go. They’re begging you to come with, and the other kids can’t wait to show your baby around town. Even though your eight-month-old doesn’t get the whole concept of trick or treating, she’ll giggle and smile as the “big kids” shower her with attention. And bonus, you get some mommy-friend time in too!
5. Someone’s being fussy. Seems like a reason not to go out for Halloween, right? Not necessarily. She didn’t nap — at all. Now your baby is super-cranky, and it doesn’t look like she’s going to chill out anytime soon. Put that sweet little knit pumpkin hat on her, strap her into a Snugli carrier and start walking. The crisp night air and bounce, bounce, bounce of walking (safely strapped into your carrier) may do the trick (which is also a treat for you) and soothe your little Miss Fussy.
6. You want to make a memory. Starting a Halloween tradition right now means making a memory that will last a lifetime. Seriously. You’ll look back on baby’s first boo-night and “aww” over the adorably cute pics of her dressed as a mini Jedi or an over-sized ear of corn. This is just the start of a lifetime (or, at the very least, a child-time) of super-fun family times!
Are you dressing your baby up for Halloween? Share your favorite mini costume pick and tweet us @BritandCo !
(Photos via Getty)