Trick or Treating has become such a contentious event in recent years it’s understandable that many parents aren’t sure on what they should or shouldn’t allow their kids to do on Halloween. To help we’ve put together these useful question and answers to help parents decide how best to handle Trick or Treating with children of all ages – from tots to teens.
Yes. Children should always be accompanied when trick or treating no matter how old they are. This is for both their safety and for the peace of mind of the people whose doors they will be knocking on. You don’t need to cramp their style just make sure you are their to supervise and that you can clearly be seen by the residents of the houses you are visiting to put their minds at rest too.
If you want to! It’s always good to enter into the spirit of things but make sure you put some effort into your costume if you do you don’t want the kids thinking you are ‘lame’. Also try not to be too scary it’s never a good idea to frighten the life out of the children you are there to supervise and never cover your face so residents can always see who is supervising the children.
Several police forces have in recent years urged parents to stop teenagers from Halloween trick or treating as many people particularly the elderly are intimidated by groups of teenagers knocking on their door at night. This is understandable but if you feel that your children are still young enough at heart to enjoy a spot of trick or treating that’s fine – as long as they are accompanied by an adult! If they refuse to have an adult along with them then that probably means they are now too old.
Whilst most toddlers will enjoy dressing up and going door-to-door some children may find it quite scary as they find it difficult to understand that it’s all make-believe. Seeing Mummy Daddy or even a complete stranger in a spooky costume can be very upsetting to young children as they cannot differentiate between fantasy and reality. Once your tot grasps the concept of dressing-up trick or treating can be great fun for all the family.
No. Always stick to the neighbourhoods and people you know. Not only do many people not like to have trick or treaters knocking on their door these days but it’s also best for your children’s safety too. In no circumstances should your children enter a stranger’s houses. Other things to bear in mind are: plan your route before you go; let someone have a copy of your planned route; always take a mobile telephone with you and finally never visit a house displaying a ‘No trick or treat’ notice.
The best thing to do when someone refuses to give Trick or Treaters a treat is to simply move on. Old-school tricks such as throwing eggs and flour at houses or cars is now classed as anti-social behaviour and may lead to a visit from the police and even a criminal record!
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