KARACHI: Some shied away from the crowd staring at them while others looked like they didn’t want to be anywhere else. But as they pranced around on the ramp, dressed as pirates, mummies, animals, cartoon characters, mythical beings and even vehicles, children under the age of six years never looked as adorable as they did at the Weldon Mom’s Costume Carnival 2010 that was held at the Marriott hotel on Tuesday.
Accompanied by parents who went to great lengths to make sure that their children had nothing missing in their costumes, young boys and girls took to emulating the characters they represented with complete dedication.
When asked what her name was, a four-year-old girl dressed in a blue costume replied “whale”. The mammal she posed as was painted on the girl’s cheeks. “I am a fish because I like the wings of the fish,” she added innocently as she flapped the fins of her whale costume.
It was later when her mother prompted her to reveal her actual name did the girl remember that her name was Alisha.
Uzma, the four-year-old’s mother, said that she is a working woman. It is impossible for working mothers to give time to their children, especially when they are young, she said, adding that, “It is at events like these that we get time to bond with our children.”
These events are a way for both parents and children to have fun, said Fatima, whose two daughters and a son were dressed up as Cinderella, a duck and a villager respectively.
Three-and-a-half-year-old Khizer was dressed as a train. When asked about his choice of costume, he said that he was wearing it because his mother had asked him to.
However, a blushing Afsheen said that she had dressed her son as a train because he loves to imitate the whistle of a steam engine.
Afsheen, who is also a working mother, said that although she makes sure that she spends enough time with her son, she rarely gets a chance to take him out to a place where “worthwhile and constructive activities” take place.
Naheed, a housewife with four young children, said that such events are also a good way for mothers to take a break from household chores.
“These kinds of activities allow you to fully explore your motherhood,” she said.
While it was a day of guaranteed fun for the children, parents looked like they were enjoying every minute of the pandemonium as well. Dressed as witches, angels and cartoon characters, the mothers and fathers also took to dressing up in costumes from other eras, such as the 60s.
Although Zubair did not participate in the parents’ costume competition, he said that he had taken an active part in planning the costumes for his son - the rock star - and his daughter - the fairy godmother.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2010.
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