Never Say Never - Hallowe'en Edition

There are a lot of things I have realized you can never say never about, especially as a parent. I'm sure I could make a list a mile long of things I have done that I said I'd never do. But this one in particular is pretty funny so I thought I'd share.


I had a vision of what I wanted Rio and the boys to be for Hallowe'en and it is all a theme*. At first she was on board, excited even, but then she decided she wanted to be a flower. A flower? Ok whatever. So I looked online everrrrryyyyywhere and could not find a flower costume I liked. So I came up with a plan to make one, a lame one, but a flower nonetheless.

Then the boys' costumes started to come together and I got really bummed on Rio being a flower. I was over the need for them to all match, but I was really not happy with her costume. I thought it would look really budget compared to theirs and I knew that with their birthday party/hallowe'en being a big deal this year, a lot of people would be seeing her.

I didn't want to be "that parent" who tells her kid what they HAVE to be for hallowe'en. That's just mean. Plus I didn't want to order an expensive costume online and have it arrive and have her still not want to be it and then I'd be screwed. But then I went into London Drugs for something totally unrelated, and in a twist of fate there was the costume literally right in front of me. I decided to buy it, try to convince her, and if not return it and make the damn flower.

I brought it home and excitedly told her about it. She was not completely apalled, but not excited either. I at least convinced her to try it on. Oh my goodness she was the cutest thing EVER but she didn't like it. She wouldn't even look at herself in the mirror. I was heartbroken. I packaged it up and was ready to give up.

Then a couple hours passed and I realized I wasn't going down without a fight. I had one more trick up my sleeve. So here's where the never say never part comes in...

I bribed her.

And no, I am not that good of a mother that I've never bribed her before. Of course I have. Usually with food, as in "You don't get dessert if you don't finish that broccoli" or back in potty training days "If you go pee you can have a jelly bean" but this bribe was full on. As in "Rio, what can mommy buy you if you wear this costume?". Yes folks, I offered to buy her a present to have her wear this costume. I have stooped to all new lows.

But it worked!! She was thrilled to give in and wear the costume for the low low price of a new stuffy (that I already happened to have in the closet and just may have suggested she might want). She put the costume on again, saw how cute she looked and now she looooovvvvves it and wants to wear it all the time.

Rio's happy and I'm happier. I love it when a plan comes together! So what if I also just took one giant step backwards on the road to good mothering. Ask me if I care!

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* If I've told you what the theme is, please don't comment about it. It's a surprise!