‘You’re doing the best you can mom and dad!': A family gathering of parenting laughs for witty mothers and fathers (September, 12, 2026)

Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor

Sep 13, 2026 6:30 PM EDT

Are you already preparing for Halloween?

For some kids, parents must understand the significance of a costume. My parents always started working on my costume weeks, sometimes months, before actual Halloween night. Even if I'm just wearing it for one night for a few hours, it meant the world to me. Seeing that my parents worked so hard on my costume also made me think the world of them. Spooky season isn't something every kid is obsessed with, but many do. Probably because of all the candy, but I digress.

It's not just the Halloween costumes; it's your kids everyday costumes too! As I started to get older and develop my own thoughts, I only allowed my mom to pick my outfit once a week. She most definitely strategically planned it for days when I was supposed to look nice, but most of the time it was me wearing my princess costume or witch hat and tutu. If I'm being honest, I still dress that way during spooky season…

Anyways, geez, sorry, I keep getting lost in my childhood spooky season nostalgia. Well, me and all the other kids who loved Halloween are grown up now, having their own kids, so, more children are growing up excited for spooky season.

One time I really wanted to wear my princess dress to school picture day. Now, we weren't rich; this wasn't a fancy-pants princess dress from the Disney store at the mall. No, this was just a raggedy old white kid's dress we found at Goodwill that my mom embroidered “Princess” on the chest. I loved it so friggin' much. It was my favorite dress. One time my mom went on a business trip for a week, and I wore it every single day.
Anyways, picture day came, and I wanted to wear that princess dress so friggin' badly, but my mom didn't want to let me. She said it was because she knew I loved the dress, and she didn't want me to wear it to school and mess it all up. However, looking back, it's probably because she didn't want me in a Halloween costume for my school pictures that she shared with all of the extended family.
Oh man, did I cry and cry that morning. I wasn't a spoiled kid. I can only remember two times that I cried because I didn't get my way, and one was for a sad stuffed animal dog that I just couldn't leave behind because he looked SO sad. Let's just say I'm in my 30s and that stuffed animal dog still gets me through some tough times.
She sent me off on the school bus in some boring outfit that I can't even remember anymore; my eyes were still full of tears. I was so sad. I got to school and was still so, so sad.
However, the period before pictures were to be taken, I was called to the front office. When I got there, I saw my mom with my princess dress!! She said it broke her heart so badly to send me off to school still crying, and that I could wear the dress for picture day if I wanted. Who cares what the rest of the family thinks! They all call me their princess already.
My parents still have those school pictures of me in my princess costume hanging on the fridge, and I have the biggest smile on my face.
That was a long story to say: My mom must have been SO stressed and heartbroken that day. It is not easy being a parent. If only she had memes to distract her for a second so she could see that she is still the best mom in the world! Princess dress or not.
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