Is this depriving my child? - Page 3

[Catubodua]

Originally Posted by camracrazy

We used to take the kids over to the nursing home/assisted living by our house. The director would buy candy and little trinkets to hand out, and the residents who were able (and wanted to) would hand out candy at different points around the home. It was nice because it was inside but it was a big enough place that you still got the feeling of Trick or Treating (walking around to different places). The residents LOVED seeing the kids. Many of them either have no family left, their family is too far away to visit for Halloween, or their family just doesn't come and see them any longer.

what a wonderful idea!

as for us, i expect to have the little guy in a costume and we'll visit some neighbors and grandmas, but not do any real trick or treating for a few years.

each family should decide how they want to celebrate, but i think you are only depriving them of the experience if they 1) even know about it and 2) are excited about it or want to do it. at two, neither of those apply.

now, if you had a 6 year old who wanted to go and you said no, i'd tell you you were a big meany

[tzs]

Originally Posted by camracrazy

We used to take the kids over to the nursing home/assisted living by our house. The director would buy candy and little trinkets to hand out, and the residents who were able (and wanted to) would hand out candy at different points around the home. It was nice because it was inside but it was a big enough place that you still got the feeling of Trick or Treating (walking around to different places). The residents LOVED seeing the kids. Many of them either have no family left, their family is too far away to visit for Halloween, or their family just doesn't come and see them any longer.

so cooool!!!! now i really feel left out. note to self to do this for chanukah.

[almadianna]

yep horrible mother, just like me and my 4 and two year olds who will also not be trick or treating.

[bella99]

My daughter was a week shy of her first birthday last year at Halloween. My husband LOVES Halloween, the man is obsessed. It felt wrong to deprive him. So it didn't matter that she had no idea what was going on. He dressed her up in a costume and took her trick or treating for a little bit at the mall (he ate the candy and I was at home recovering from H1N1).

He spent weeks looking for the perfect costume and found his geeky man's dream: Princess Leia.

She WAS adorable, FWIW.

And I mostly think of Halloween as a cultural holiday. It may have its roots in paganism and some loose relation to Christianity, but mostly it's just a cultural thing. Thanksgiving has its roots among devout Christians, but most people celebrate that, regardless of religion.

[~cassie]

I don't think it is depriving them at that age.

We took my oldest when he was just 6 mths old. He tagged along with my neices but it was a fun occasion to get him all dressed up in his costume and have some fun. My 5, 3, and 2 yr old will all be going out this year, same as they did last year. They do get tons of candy but they only get a little of it and then it is usually kept for something else-goody bags, christmas, etc. We always go to our church for the Fall Festival which is great fun and then we do our downtown trick or treating. They all love it!

[lynsage]

We love Halloween at our house, and I think it's totally fine to keep them home until they're old enough to be into it and have a good time dressing up. Otherwise, you're right, it's really more for the parents (which is OK if it's FUN for the parents, but if not, why do it?).

[seagull]

We love Halloween here, and the kids have been trick or treating every year of their life. At first, it is more of say 'hi' to the neighbors instead of about candy. We enjoy our neighborhood and people seem sincerely interested in our children. So far we have only gone to about 12 houses, but I can see my 5 year old wanting to expand that this year.
Plus I adore the pictures of Halloween costume that my mom made for me when I was an infant and toddler. Even though I don't remember it per say. So, we buy used costumes and take lots of photos. I decorate for Halloween by displaying those photos, and my kids love seeing themselves in costumes.

[Violet2]

We only ever took DD to the neighbors when she was younger. She was too shy to go door-to-door, so we let her help us pass out candy.

We will probably do the same this year unless the older neighbor girls want to take DD under their wings.

She's just too little for hardcore trick or treating and she so does not need the candy.

V

[Thalia the Muse]

A two-year-old won't really get why it's supposed to be fun, and won't even remember having gone in a few years. I LOVE Halloween, but the only reason to take a kid that little is if you really want to go with them, or have to take them because the older siblings are going.

I did take my two-year-old to a few houses on our block, just because I wanted to, but she really didn't get it and tried to wander into people's houses. ;-) She did understand that people were giving her candy, though!

[Girlprof]

Originally Posted by Devaskyla

According to a lot of Christians, Halloween is Satanic & they avoid it.

I'm really surprised that everyone has pretty much the same response. I ADORE Halloween. Always have. I was so sad when I got too old for trick or treating that I even took out the kids I babysat, for free, just so I could go. I took ds1 out to a couple houses when he was 4 months old. We did our whole block the next year. We've never NOT gone trick or treating since we had kids. I wear/stroller them when they're little (generally take both & see how it goes) & we go until the other kids get tired, usually a couple hours. We put the candy from all of them in 1 bag & everyone in the family can have it. Usually lasts until January or so. lol

I just wish I were more creative so they (& I) could have cool costumes! I really find the anti-Halloween sentiment baffling. It's a fun excuse to get out, see lots of people dressed up, walk around your neighbourhood & actually talk to people. And you get candy as a bonus. The only bad thing is I can't both stay home to hand out candy & take the kids out. And I don't know if dh will be physically up to handing out candy by then this year.

Amen to all of this. I also adore Hallowe'en. It also happens to be my birthday so the last several years, I've had my best friends over with their kids for a party with as much trick or treating as the kids want/can manage. It's the only night of the year we talk to some of our neighbors. Many of them are quite elderly and the love seeing the kids all dressed up.

So, I don't think you are depriving your child in any way, of course not. But, I do think you might be missing out a bit. I had a colleague from England who was coincidentally here last year on Hallowe'en and he had a blast.

[goodygumdrops]

I have taken my almost 4 year old the last two years. The first time, he was just mesmerized by all the other kids but had no idea what was going on. The second year, he totally got the whole trick or treat thing and thought he hit the jackpot. I guess it depends on your kids but my son had a blast and we're looking forward to Halloween this year.