As a parent, when you think of vampire costumes for Halloween, you’d usually think of the classic, Gothic look. This means a formal black suit or a long, flowing black gown complete with a sweeping cloak, false fangs, and fake blood along the lips. You’d dress your children up this way, with you practicing them on how they would act and the routine ending with them chasing you all over the house for the first scare. These are fun times for any parent and kid.

But as they grow up into adolescence, sometimes they outgrow this predictability you’re so comfortable with, and they venture into new, unknown territory with or without you. This involves their manner of dressing, too. What if your child plans on wearing one among modern-day skimpy vampire costumes? How short should she go? How much should she reveal? Every parent’s apprehension is that their daughter would dress up too advanced for their age and innocently draw attention much too early, much too soon.

This is where the conflict lies, even in such simple matters like Halloween costumes. It’s a valid concern, though, and it should be addressed early on.

Halloweens are fun times for family and friends, especially in small communities and neighborhoods. That’s when the best and latest of scary outfits, including vampire costumes, are shown off. They shouldn’t be stressful and tension-filled times for parents and children as long as it’s discussed and ground rules are set for minors. In this area, certain house rules should apply for their safety and your own peace of mind.

Luckily, dressing up is not so much a problem for boys as for girls. With young teenage boys, it’s usually their grooming and behavior which have to be reminded on. For young girls entering into their pre-teens and blossoming into their teenage years, dressing up has to be discussed tactfully and maturely on both ends.

Probably the best way would be to instill in your child that dressing up should be more for personal style and comfort rather than for daring. Allow your child to be open and express herself, so that you know exactly what’s on her mind. Arrive at a girly outfit that will pamper her feminine side and make her feel great about herself. Determine together the limitations of just how much skin must show. It helps that you get just the right size of vampire costumes for her, so that it fits well and feels comfortable.

There’s good news if your growing teenager most probably identifies with modern-day vampire heroes like Edward Cullens and Bella Swan of the Twilight Series, because there’s really nothing to worry about when it comes to vampire costumes. Edward is a good-looking, mysterious guy with a sensitive and caring attitude. He hardly bites. He all too frequently rescues the vulnerable Bella from her mishaps. Not much of revealing, sexy outfits and hot, steamy scenes there. It’s mostly a next-door, teenage romantic fantasy.

Should this inspire your daughter, you’ll gladly have a pale-looking, lady in distress who’s dressed up to meet a young vampire on Halloween night.