Welcome to "Hey, Mom and Dad"—a weekly feature in which we ask our Facebook fans to share their views on parenting. Every week, we get the conversation started by taking a look back at a question we asked parents the week before on Patch Facebook pages from around the area.
Amid clusters of impossibly cute costumed kids on Halloween night, you get other trick-or-treaters who don't seem to fit in. Maybe it's that they are older than the rest, or show up in plain clothes with not even a face mask in sight. But is that a deal-breaker, or is everyone welcome to claim candy on your porch on Halloween?
That leads us to this week's question:
When should kids stop with the trick-or-treating?
Take a look at what people had to say and join the conversation in the comments section.
Jillian T. Halloween is my favorite "holiday". I personally went out til I was in high school, but I always dressed up. Now its tradition for my husband and I to dress up when we take our kids out. We usually get offered candy but always refuse. We will probably let our kids do it until they think they're too cool for it. But like others I agree, if you're in a costume it makes a big difference on wether or not people find it acceptable for older kids to do it. via Oswego Patch Facebook
Michelle B. Costume & respect, will get them candy. If not in a costume & disrespectful, then they get a door slammed in their face! via Bolingbrook Patch
Lori W. On the flipside are the adults taking their 1 year olds trick or treating in a stroller....you KNOW that candy is just for them. via Plainfield Patch Facebook
Brian R. I was 17 and still trick or treating, but my costume was awesome... i turned a refridgerator box into an outhouse. Got many kudo's... the older they get the better the costume has to be otherwise forget it. via Montgomery Patch Facebook
forget me
8:58 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
My hubby has a problem with teenagers trick or treating. Personally i don't. So what, they want some candy. as long as they're not destroying anything, let them have some fun. I'd rather them be doing that than doing drugs or drinking. actually I buy the bigger candy bars for them or popcorn balls.
Mr Wilson
9:14 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I always have two bowls of candy on-hand. The first bowl is for the real trick-or-treaters and it contains good stuff. The second bowl is for the goof-offs and older children not in costume and it contains left over Christmas candy. Sometimes I'll slip a rock into their bag.
forget me
9:39 am on Monday, October 22, 2012
Mr. Wilson, do you also give apples with razor blades?
forget me
9:17 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Mr. Wilson, what a scrooge you are!
Cathy
9:29 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I would say 9 should be the oldest age they should go trick or treating then they should start finding halloween parties to go to
Cathy
9:30 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
I would say 9 years old should be the oldest age to trick or treat after that I think they should try to find halloween parties to attend
chris
10:21 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
If the teens are respectful I don't mind giving them candy if they are walking up and down the street swearing and acting like punks then I won't give them a thing. Well maybe a lecture.
Kelly
10:42 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
About five years ago, there were two girls around 16 years of age that came up without costumes, carrying pillowcases. After I gave them candy, the one girl turned and took a drag from a cigarette as she walked away. A real cigarette. I am not kidding here. You may call Mr. Wilson a scrooge, but I think he's on to something! :)
Ryan
11:30 am on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Why does age matter? If they're enjoying themselves and not causing problems then who cares, if they are being irresponsible then deal with them as such. It's only one day each year
Jane Enviere
12:08 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Once they are out of elementary school, our kids will be welcome to dress up and hand out candy at home. Trick-or-treating as a teenager? Nope.
LJ
12:59 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Twenty years ago my sister and I took our 4 and 5 year old out trick-or-treating. We were dressed up having so much fun and missing our days of getting candy we decided to trick-or-treat ourselves at a couple of houses. We told the kids what we were doing and not to call us mommy. The very first house when the lady opened the door all excited the four of us yelled trick-or-treat! the lady tells us how cute we looked and my daughter goes "this is my mommy". The lady laughed and gave us extra candy! We never tried that again but it sure was fun even though embarrassing to have been busted.
Trick-or-treating is all in fun and even high school kids want to have fun. If your in costume and behaving in a proper manner I say go for it! If your a parent and want to relive the memory at a couple houses, go for it,,,just remember your kid may tell on you!
forget me
2:10 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Well I know all teens are not angels. I try to set an example to be polite and I make sure to say be safe. If anything it makes me feel good. Kids are products from their parents. Not all parents set good examples and even when they do teens will be influenced by other teens. I guess i pulled some crap growing up but turned out ok. Let them have their candy!! maybe those candy cigarettes got them hooked lol
Zak Overmyer
3:27 pm on Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Views from a Teen:
1. Where does this Nancy live? I might have to trick or treat at her house!
2. My friends and I love trick or treating. We have always had fun with it and aren't like those kids that go and dump the candy bowls in the bags and run off. I think that it all depends on the maturity of the kids as to whether they can go or not.
Rich Fisher
7:07 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Let's let kids be kids. Halloween has always come with some level of hijinks...smashed pumpkins, stolen candy bowls, a few kids behaving badly, etc. Let's allow for it. It's one night a year. If the kids take the time and effort to dress up, I always give out candy and not the stale stuff. Why does age matter?
Kelly
8:41 am on Thursday, October 18, 2012
Yeah, let's "allow" kids to smash pumpkins and then have to clean up after them! And it's fine if they steal a candy bowl ... just don't steal anything out to fhte myriad of unlocked cars. Way to teach them manners and responsibility. No wonder a huge percentage of them are jerks ... because it's mom and dad say, "let's allow for it!"
Pro Life Crusader +
8:55 am on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
I say 12 years old! The same age goes to tell them too that there is no Santa Clause!
Pro Life Crusader +
2:22 pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2012
What's the difference Obama keeps on dressing as the President! Time to toss out the costume!
forget me
9:38 am on Monday, October 22, 2012
Kelly, why are you grouping a small of amount of rotten apples with kids wanting good clean fun and staying out of trouble?
Kelly
10:48 am on Monday, October 22, 2012
I'm confused as to where you think I'm grouping them. I'm saying we shouldn't just say it's ok for those bad apples kids to steal things and smash pumpkins just because it's Halloween. I really don't care how old they are when they are trick-or-treating as long as they behave. If anything, they ruin it for the rest of the kids.