Everything changes with kids, and the holidays are no exception. But one in particular might have a more dramatic shift than others. When Halloween comes around, parents leave tequila shots in plastic syringes in the past, and say hello to a month of moderating candy intake.

Mom Kris Wylder shared her take on a parent’s Halloween on TikTok.

“Name me a holiday that changes more after you have kids than Halloween, because I bet that you can’t,” she said.

“One day, you’re like, young and hot and picking out your costume and going to all kinds of Halloween parties and drinking with your friends,” Wylder continued. “The next minute, when you turn around, you’re arguing with a three year old about putting on a costume that they were absolutely obsessed with leading up into Halloween.”

Is the last-minute costume switch-up universal? It sure seems like it.

“They always change their mind the day of and then there’s crying, there is literally so much crying,” she added.

Crying on Halloween didn’t not happen in college, but I see her point.

So, what else changes on Halloween when you have kids?

Kid’s Costumes Are The Priority

Out with the carefully crafted couple’s costume, or the group costume with your girlfriends that made no sense after you lose two of them in a bar. Family costumes are in, and the kids are the star of the show.

Candy Is Not So Sweet

While a nice neighbor or two might offer mom or dad candy, the vast majority of it is going straight into the kid’s pillowcases. What’s a parent to do? Steal it, of course. Remember when you asked your parents if they stole any, and they would vehemently deny it? Well, now we know the truth. They were never going to eat it all, anyways…

Trade Halloween Ragers For Costume Parades

Parents can still hang. We know this. But the Halloween house party has been dethroned as the event of the season. Now? The school costume parade is where it’s at. What could be better than getting to see your kid and their adorable classmates show off their costumes?

Scary Is Out, Spooky Is In

Maybe your kid is the rare young horror lover, but most kids are absolutely not watching The Exorcist — we want them to sleep again, thank you. Horror classics, at least for the littles, are ditched in favor of Paw Patrol Halloween episodes and It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. The Scream franchise might have to wait until after their bedtime.

All Work and No Play

Crafting the perfect Halloween is not easy! Getting the kids’ costumes, and then getting the new costumes they want after they change their mind is not for the weak. Costumes and decor might call for some heavy crafting on your part, too. You also have to arrange Trick-or-Treat, which can be a hassle once friends get involved, and then still make sure you don’t miss Trunk-or-Treat on top of that. When you’re a kid, you don’t realize the effort parents put into making Halloween the most spooky, scary, fun and fantastic night of the year. It sure is a lot of work. But, coming home to giant smiles on sugar-crashing kids is certainly worth it.