Costume Ideas That Are a Mother's Worst Nightmare

Age-Inappropriate Costumes

• Kids are influenced by musicians, songs and music videos, but a costume emulating an adult pop star can be far too revealing for a child. A skimpy Rihanna outfit or a Miley Cyrus ensemble is for grown-ups. The media present many images that would make troubling costumes for both boys and girls. For example, the television shows, "The Jersey Shore" and "Breaking Bad," are definitely adult-oriented. Kids are out of place in clothes modeling characters in either. Children should avoid adult themes of drugs, sex and alcohol. A package of cigarettes, a condom wrapper or a beer pong table does not evoke the joys of childhood. Suggestive commercial costumes are available for kids; boys should avoid "pimp" outfits, and no 12-year-old girl needs to dress like a French maid.

Offensive Costumes

• Creating a costume around some topics, such as violence, politics and religion, is risky for adults. Even if done as a form of protest or consciousness-raising, you may seriously offend people. A kid who wears such a costume doesn't understand the context or have the life experience to make it meaningful. Dressing up as a suicide bomber is in questionable taste for anyone, let alone a child. An adult who dons a Hitler uniform may be trying to make a statement, and the costume will raise eyebrows. Put a child in those clothes, and the effect is even more disconnected and disturbing.

Difficult Costumes

• If you're fortunate, your child will not select a costume that is inappropriate or offensive. However, you may still have a problem if the idea is wonderfully creative but difficult to execute. An older boy who's a fan of the "Predator" movies may want to dress like the alien, but a realistic costume is multifaceted. Transformers are popular toys, but creating a convincing costume might be overwhelming. A musical child who envisions a piano costume isn't considering the skill needed to develop a wearable shape that plays music.

Unsafe Costumes

• If your child manages to choose an age-appropriate costume that is not too difficult to produce, you need to be sure it's safe. This is especially important at Halloween when kids are going out trick-or-treating. A dark costume like a ninja or black cat cannot be seen by motorists. Masks, such as often found with superhero costumes, should not compromise vision to the front or on the sides, or an accident could happen. Also, a costume should not be so loose, long or cumbersome that it impairs a child's ability to move comfortably and safely. For example, a clown costume shouldn't be too baggy, and a vampire's cape shouldn't drag on the ground.