When did I get old? LOL
By cyntrow
@cyntrow (8523)
United States
October 29, 2007 7:15pm CST
OK, here goes. My thirteen year old went to a Halloween party on Saturday night. She dressed as a clown and was downright adorable. We waited for her friends to arrive. FYI, mine is the house that all of my kids' friends have always congregated at, so it is normal for all of the Halloween teens to meet at my place before heading out to the party. Everyone looked great. There was even a brother and sister duo, who dressed like each other and it was hilarious. I was cackling and snapping pictures. Then Tammy came to the door. This 14 year old girl was dressed like a French maid, complete with garter stockings and low cut "uniform." I wanted to send her home to put on some more clothes. It made matters worse because I know her parents are very conservative and would never allow her out of hte house in that outfit. I can only think that they were out that night, or that she changed at a friends house somewhere along the way. I was flabberghasted. I think that if she were 16 or 17, it might not have shocked me as much, but at 14, it just seemed too much.
Anyhow, I resisted the impulse to tell her mother and I trusted my daughter and the others in the group to keep her out of trouble. But I worried until My daughter told me they had dropped tammy off at home.
When I was a teenager, I never would have thought that I would have been shocked at such a display. I went as a hooker to my Halloween Party at the age of 12.
When did I get so old?
4 people like this
17 responses
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
9 Nov 07
Hi Cyntrow,
I think it shocks us cos we have been there already. I mean we wouldnt have understood at that age, and when our parents told us something, we were like yeah right! lol But now, we have moved past that and we know what the consequences could be. I do think that was a bit much, the stockings and garder belt.
LOL I think I dressed up as a hooker once too, but looking back, I think I probably looked more like a drag queen! LOL
Bay Lay Gray xx
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
9 Nov 07
Yeah, our kids are clueless about who we were when we were there age. I guess we were clueless too. LOL. I always try to be open with my kids. I think this little girl scares me because I know her parents and they shelter her. She's a slu!, in the words of my daughter, who loves this girl to bits.
I'm the town mother and I worry about them all. I was knocked up at 17. I love my oldest son to bits, but it was a hard road that I wouldnt' wish on anyone. Then there's disease.
Screw it, I'm an old lady. LOL
2 people like this
@BayleighGray (4334)
• United States
9 Nov 07
Your not an old lady, your just an experienced one ;o) xx
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
14 Nov 07
God, why do I have to be the experienced one. LOL. Most of the parents of these kids have no clue what their children are doing. I had to take a friend of my 16 year old son to the gyn because she missed three periods. Thankfully, she was not pregnant, but I was the one who worried. Her parents were oblivious.
1 person likes this
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I don't think you have gotten old. I think it's more to do with having kids of your own. I'm the same way. Things that I thought was cool are now irritating and gets on my nerves.
Plus it's sad that kids can't dress up in outfits for Halloween that look trashy to us older folks, lol, looked cool when we where that age. To many perverts are out and running lose it's not even funny. Growing up I only celebrated Halloween once, only because my mom was gone and my dad didn't want to deal with four kids, lol. So we got dumped on our uncle. Kids today don't look or act like there age anymore. I do hope my two girls stay young and as long as my husband is alive, they won't step foot outside looking like they are missing half of there clothing, lol.
1 person likes this
@chertsy (3798)
• United States
4 Nov 07
Well, I can't say if your parents did or not, or if other parents did. This Halloween, I can say I didn't see any young kids dressed in outfits not meant for there age. I wish I could have said the same for some moms, lol.
With your daughter's friend she's only doing this for a reason. Hopefully she will outgrow this as she gets older. It still doesn't mean you have gotten old, to worry about the way she was dressed. Just means your a parent that cares.
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
2 Nov 07
I guess I should say that most of my daughters friends were dressed really great. It was just this one girl that I was concerned about. and my daughter told me that she is somewhat repressed at home and tries to go wild when she is away from her folks. I was just concerned for her well being.
I wonder if anyone was concerned for me when I dressed like a hooker. LOL
2 people like this
@Ravenladyj (22904)
• United States
30 Oct 07
" I went as a hooker to my Halloween Party at the age of 12. When did I get so old?"
LMFAO my last yr trick or treating as a kid, my best friend and i went out as hookers LOL little did I realize at the time that I'd actually end up being on for real a couple yrs later :-/
I think what shocks me is the way girls dress these days overall, I mean some of these outfits these kids are wearing to school and the mall etc just blows my mind! The closest thing to s.canky that we wore in our teen yrs was super tight 'gotta-do-them-up-with-a-friend-and-a-fork' jeans...These days though you have body parts hangin out all over the place, girls busting out of their tops and bottoms and 11 yr olds wearing padded push up bras and g-strings! what the hell?!
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
2 Nov 07
Oh, I agree with the way CHILDREN dress these days. My 9 year old wants to dress like a rap video. LOL. I don't let her.
I think my thing with this girl is that I know her parents are very strict. And my daughter tells me that she is a wild child. And I know in my heart that this is because her parents are strict, because she can't turn to them. So I am the foster parent and I advise her. But this Halloween party outfit concerned me. Call me a horrible parent, but I know that the boy who was throwing the party was parentless that weekend and I let my kid go anyway because I trust her and her friends. I was just concerned for this one. I feel the way she was dressed was inviting hormonal teenaged boys to act stupid.
1 person likes this
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
30 Oct 07
I must admit, hun, I had to giggle a little bit when I read your posting. In my dim and distant youth I went to fancy dress parties and would think nothing of dressing up in skimpy outfits. I guess it is all a matter of the way our perception changes over time. Where once I would have thought nothing of wearing the skimpy outfit, these days I think *good grief, I'd freeze wearing that*
1 person likes this
@lancingboy (1385)
• United States
1 Nov 07
I just read your topic, but not the responses lol. You're not old. I just think that since you've got a daughter yourself, you're parenting instinct came out when you saw that 14 year old dressed like that. I think that is completely understandable. I mean, what parent would want their kid dressing like that? Especially when they care about the image of their family and their parenting skills.
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
2 Nov 07
Well, I don't really give a hoot what people think of me. If my daughter went out like that, I wouldnt' be as concerned because I know her and her friends and I think she would be safe. But she never even asked to go out in something sleazy. I am concerned because this sheltered girl goes out looking like a tramp and she has to deal with hormonal boys that she is ill equippted for.
Yeah, I'm old. LOL
1 person likes this
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I don't think your old. I think in today's world you have to watch what your kids wear. there are a lot of sickos now a days. It's not like it was when we were kids. People are strange and you have to be very careful with your children and what they wear. it's sad at times, especially when it's all in fun like on halloween, but you can never be to careful anymore when it comes to children.
1 person likes this
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I'll be honest with you and this might veer far off topic, but I don't think there are more sickos now than there were when I was a kid. I just think we hear about them more today. When I was a kid, no child had ever been sexually abused by a family member, but that was a lie. We just didn't hear about it. Everyone from my mother's generation knows someone who can only now admit to that kind of abuse. So the question becomes, is it more prevalant, or is it just more talked about. And if it is now more talked about, will this make it less prevelant? Will the pervs think twice because the know that the kid will tell a parent or a cop?
But now that I've gotten so far off topic, I think my greatest fear for my daughters friend was not so much the lurking pervs, but the teenaged boys who might be at that party.
1 person likes this
@asgtswife04 (2475)
• United States
30 Oct 07
yeah, your absolutely right. back when we were kids everything was more hush, hush. now a days though everything is talked about. And yeah, i would worry about the boys to. You made a very good point and it wasn't that far off topic. LOL! Thanks!
1 person likes this
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
30 Oct 07
Not sure I knew what a hooker was at 12 years old.This weekend at the resort where I work people were talking about their costumes. One lady said she was coming as a stripper after the conversation was over my ten year old daughter asked the lady what is a stripper anyways? the lady turned bright red and said ummmm ask your mom. I had to laugh once we explained it to her she told us thats just gross ya know. I hope she can stay that innocent for a few more years.
@cyntrow (8523)
• United States
30 Oct 07
LOL, well we grew up really close to washington dc and throughout our childhood, my folks would take us to the district to feed the homeless, especially in the winter when they needed blankets and soup to keep them breathing. I think I was like 7 when we were driving down this street at night and I saw a gorgeous girl dressed in a mini skirt and a low cut blouse. I remarked to the people in the van that I thought she was beautiful like a movie star. One of the guys said, "She's just a hooker." So, yeah, I had some first hand knowledge. Then my parents had to take the time to explain to me what a hooker was and why many of them did what they did.
Long story short, I was not the only girl at 12 or 13 who dressed like a hooker, but now at 38, I wonder if I am the only one perplexed by my own reaction of another kid's costume.
1 person likes this
@whywiki (6066)
• Canada
30 Oct 07
It seems at 14 girls think they are grown up. I was a wild 14 year old myself but I see the young girls dressing so sleazy these days and I am always shocked. I guess things haven't changed much over the years except maybe I am jealous that I can never look that good again! That and the world isn't so innocent anymore and dressing like that even at halloween is only asking for trouble. Each day I understand where my mom was coming from more!
@melissa29 (130)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I don't think you're getting old--just seeing things differently. I'm sure being a parent, you were just concerned for her welfare. I don't think a 14 year old should be dressing that way--Halloween or not. I'm 29 and I have noticed some things bother me now that never have before and I have asked myself the same question....lol Have a great day!
~Melissa :D
1 person likes this
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I think you are not too old, time change and people change and you just feel more secure for the kids, and that's a good thing. you know the kids now are not the same way like you used to be and they can be bad if no one instruct them. I never dress up of anything on Halloween, but I always give out candies. :)
1 person likes this
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I've never seen people dress up as hookers, I've seen men dress up as pimps and stuff like that, but today it's considered inappropriate to do stuff like that because it's offensive.
1 person likes this
@THKOhio (329)
• United States
2 Nov 07
LOL....I know what you mean! But for me it's more about seeing what they wear to school on a daily basis than about Halloween costumes. To me, Halloween is SUPPOSED to be about dressing in a way you wouldn't even think about dressing the rest of the year, to be someone you aren't. But every other day of the year, children should still be dressing like children.....and I see WAY too many of them who don't!!
1 person likes this
@marabdl86 (615)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I don't know whether to laugh or take you serious. But since it's not Holloween yet I think you're joking??
1 person likes this
@tammytwo (4298)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I totally understand. My daughter is 13 and hangs out with her 16 year old cousin alot. She feels because her cousin can do certain things, she should be able to also. Her cousins parents are more lenient with their daughter than I would ever be anyway. But I have tried explaining to her there is a big difference between 13 and 16.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
10 Nov 07
Do not - I repeat, do NOT - talk to a 55 year old woman like myself about being old when you're not even 40! Seriously, you're far from old, Cyn, you've just gotten "wise beyond your years". Actually, you answered your own questions. This girl is very sheltered and she's been acting wild because she no doubt has no freedom whatsoever at home. You are a mom so the "mom" in you always reacts in a situation like this. Of course, you're concerned for her even more than if it had been your own daughter in that outfit because you know you can trust your own daughter and that she can talk to you about "stuff". You're not old at all, I don't care how many times you say it!
Annie
@raychill (6525)
• United States
30 Oct 07
I'm 25... and I'm surpised that a 13 year old was dressed like a clown. I thought people stopped dressing up as clowns when they were 5. But I don't know, thats me (and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with her being a clown btw!).
I think it's tough with teenagers these days because a LOT of them look much older than they are... and I think in some ways that's kinda normal. 14 does seem young to be in a short cut maid outfit, but I don't know...I think that's kinda society today. I chalk it up to society.
1 person likes this
