Dad refuses to let Mom buy Halloween costumes for his 2 daughters, but buys himself a Halloween costume: 'What I do with my money is my business, and I don't have to explain what I do with it.'

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Oct 27, 2026 7:45 PM EDT

If you are in a financial place where you have to choose between buying yourself a Halloween costume and buying your two young daughters a Halloween costume, you'd be a fool to choose the former. It is parents' job to facilitate Halloween for their kids, and if you put your own Halloween experience above theirs, you shouldn't be a parent. 

Once you're an adult, it's easy to stop prioritizing holidays that you used to care about so much as a kid. As a child, I planned my Halloween costume by July or August, giving my mom and grandma plenty of time to help sew it. These days, I either wear costumes I bought the year before or put together something mildly creative from my own clothes. Last weekend, I went to a Halloween party dressed as Elizabeth Holmes. I have already seen so many people dressed as Elizabeth Holmes, and Halloween hasn't even started yet! It's perfect for lazy blonde people who own a black turtleneck and don't want to buy yet another Halloween costume. 

There's been a lot of discourse online recently about whether it's immature for adults to still celebrate Halloween into their 30s. I've seen a ton of tweets that say some version of this:

"34-year-old guys be like, "What is the move on Halloweekend?" Dude, it's time to start a family!"

Different 34-year-olds are in very different places in life. Some have been parents for 14 years, some are about to have their first baby, and others still live like they're 21. I don't think it's a crime for anyone, no matter their age, to want to celebrate holidays with friends and family. If a mom with 2 kids wants to go trick-or-treating with her kids on the 31st after going to a Halloween party with her friends the night before, I don't see anything wrong with that! I would question a parent who always chooses hanging out with their friends over spending time with their children, especially when the years of trick-or-treating go by so quickly. Also, and I say this as someone who goes to around 5 Halloween parties every single year, Halloween is for kids. Adults can celebrate and have fun, but if you prioritize that over your kids having fun, your priorities are out of whack. 

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  • 01
    A person in a robe holding a toy lightsaber
    via 🔥John Rodriguez🔥

    A man dressed up for Halloween. 

    Actor performance of story events.

  • 02
    bears ✰✰ @wydbear Is it wrong to think such texts from a husband is disrespectful?
    via @wydbear
  • 03
    Thursday 10:11 AM . Can I just pay it with the credit card then? Your credit cards Frozen plus I wasn't planning on buying costumes this month cuz that's an unexpected purchase that I wasn't aware of. So now I have to rethink where my budget is going to stand. Didn't you just buy one for yourself? And you told me about going to the trunk or treat which is also a costume contest Yes to both points. What i do with my money is my business and I don't have to explain what I do with it. You will keep
    via @wydbear

    You can have the attitude of "what I do with my money is my business" if you're not married and don't have kids, but that changes once you have a family. What you do with your money affects everyone else in your household, especially if you want your partner to be a stay-at-home parent. 

    Also, if he's controlling the finances to this degree, shouldn't he have anticipated that his kids would need Halloween costumes? 

  • 04
    Yes to both points. What i do with my money is my business and I don't have to explain what I do with it. You will keep this in mind. Your second point has nothing to do with nothing. The issue is you told me last minute with buying costumes. Your options are: 1. Send me the prices and I'll see if I can work it in the remaining budget 2. Don't go and I'll pick up the candy for them The 2nd point has to do with something you brought to me. You said you didn't plan on buying costume however if you
    via @wydbear

    Imagine seeing a dad at a Halloween Trunk or Treat in full regalia, without his kids, because he didn't anticipate they'd need costumes too. What kind of adult would even have fun at an event like that by themselves?

  • 05
    The 2nd point has to do with something you brought to me. You said you didn't plan on buying costume however if you knew the trunk or treat was something you wanted me to bring the kids to, they need costumes. I bring it up to you now because you haven't offered anything to get them a costume. Second, unfreezing the credit card for a $60 purchase to cover your children's costumes is an easy click. Rather than making your wife feel embarrassed to have to be standing around and waiting to see IF h
    via @wydbear
  • 06
    Since we're talking in circles here's how this is going to go: 1. You will get $60 2.Unless there's an emergency you will not ask of anything last minute. Do you understand? Thank you for providing the $60 for the girls costumes. I truly appreciate solving the costume issue. I will provide the receipt once purchased. However, I will not be spoken to like a subordinate. I expect respectful and collaborative communication. Then we do not have an understanding. Instead of trying to argue a point wh
    via @wydbear
  • 07
    Nessa 오 @FourthWaver If ANYONE spoke to me like this, including my boss, I'm never talking to them again. If my own partner spoke to me like this, I'm going scorched earth. This woman is trapped in hol.
    via @FourthWaver
  • 08
    Nessa Q @FourthWaver All the men replying to this talking about how she "doesn't have a job so she shouldn't get a say in how money is spent” are proving why you should never be a SAHM btw. Men are not providers and the mask comes off the minute you take them at their word.
    via @FourthWaver
  • 09
    Heehoo Peanut @lichfest "You will get $60" "Transfer $60" "Wrong answer" ??? He's just looking for an argument what a child
    via @lichfest
  • 10
    #SaveStargÅte #WeWantSta... @S4veTheShow So he's going to a Halloween thing in costume, by himself, without his wife and kids?
    via @S4veTheShow
  • 11
    Meg⭑ @_nomadic_soul THIS is why women should always have their own income and why relying on someone else is so dangerous. Way too much power.
    via @_nomadic_soul
  • 12
    The Spiritual Queen of Whitene... @BelieveChe95988 Imagine having to beg to buy a costume. This is scary
    via @BelieveChe95988
  • 13
    Gay Interrupted @TwinkTheory Omg get a divorce it's over
    via @TwinkTheory
  • 14
    Great Idea Pam saw Louis in... @pamn121 He's treating you like an employee. Send him an invoice for your childcare services, your cooking and cleaning services and your taxi services.
    via @pamn121
  • 15
    Tea @hails8ndodrugs Men claim to want to provide for and care for their kids, but they prove otherwise at every opportunity. If she loves her kids, she will leave him.
    via @hails8ndodrugs
  • 16
    TinaD @Life_of_irony He wants the kids to go to a costume event but he doesn't want to buy them costumes― illogical. Also, apparently, all money is his money in spite of the fact he elected to acquire a family. It must be nice to have reality accommodate your tantrums.
    via @L1fe_of_irony
  • 17
    Wiseassdame @wiseassdame He's been listening to too many macho male empowerment podcasts. This is abe and she needs to leave.
    via @wiseassdame
  • 18
    Saturn @Saturn Is Sick Men want to be the sole provider so that they CONTROL THEIR WOMAN. Its never been about earning more so their woman doesnt have to work, they want that power over her.
    via @Saturn_Is_Sick
  • 19
    Abundantly Erica - Stock Opti... @womenoptionswin This wife is doing this guy a favor going out to get the kids costumes. Why isn't he doing it. What's a joke of a father
    via @womenoptionswin
  • 20
    Reunited @Aerith Cloud3 One of the reason that I work so hard, is because I don't want to ask anyone for anything, never
    via @AerithCloud3
  • 21
    KatsGone Rogue @KatsGone Rogue I think knowing the history of this relationship would help. Is he like this because of her overspending, impulse buying, and compulsive shopping? I've known women who spent their families into 6 figure debt.
    via @KatsGoneRogue

    If the dad is taking full control of the finances because the mom overspends, he needs to manage them properly. That means buying Halloween costumes for his kids instead of for himself. 

  • 22
    Cat @LavaCat79 If that is the case, then why didn't he take the initiative to take the girls out to buy costumes?
    via @LavaCat79
  • 23
    KatECoolK @kking74914 I can not imagine living like this. Growing up in the 70s/80s, my dad handed his paycheck to my stay-at-home mom & trusted her to run the house/pay the bills/feed the family/care for the kids (which was her "job"). This is not a partnership, it's power/control.
    via @kking74914

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costume halloween costumes twitter marriage kids halloween texts wife bad parenting daughters husband dad daughter mom halloween costume toxic relationship
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