Trick-or-treating age cutoff? - Page 5

[Mom2M]

Originally Posted by Purple*Lotus

For those of you who only give candy for people who have costumes, do you just say no and close the door if they don't? I just wonder. I am not that assertive and I would be afraid that my house would get egged or something.

Where we live, the rule is that you can't go once you hit 13 years old. I have no idea how it is enforced, though, but that is the rule.

If they don't have a costume at all you could laugh and tell them they have to do a trick for a treat since they aren't dressed up, lol!

We never have non costumed teens but there are definitely over 13's! Most of the older ones have really elaborate, cool costumes too.
I remember TOTing until I was 14 and I loved it, we had so much fun.
I don't care how old they are if they are having fun and dressing up.

This year was so great because our TOT was Friday night and it was really nice weather, long sleeves but no coat weather so everyone was talking and standing outside. That is my favorite part of TOTing now.
DD dressed up as an artist and she was so cute, she had a palette and brush and was pretending to paint everyone.

[claras_mom]

I have no problems with teens trick-or-treating.

Oh, and dd1's thing--two years running--is to TOT for an hour, which is how long it takes to do our street, then hang out waiting for "customers" at home. The older kids and teens who come a little later in the evening got a kick out of being served by a 6 yo.

ETA - I'm pretty sure that most of the kids, young and old, who come to the house are neighborhood kids, mostly from our street. They're in costume and nicely behaved.

[thatgirliknew]

I am only 21 now, so this hasn't been that long ago, but in my neighborhood (pop. of about 7,000 if it makes any difference) we were still going strong at 14-15 years old walking around in costumes with pillowcases. lol. And our church (the only thing to do in town) used to have Halloween parties for the youth too.

[Peppermint Leaf]

we had a group of teens come to our door last night -- it was 8:30 pm and had been at least 20 minutes since the previous kids had knocked ... anyway DH opens the door and its just a group of teens - not in costume -- with great big backbacks they held out for candy.

dh didnt want them retaliating so he gave them some candy and then turned the lights out for the evening -- but I couldnt help but wonder how other neighbours reacted to them.

[Addie]

We were outside on Halloween taking pictures with DS right at 5:30, the official start or trick-or-treating in our city. A woman - a for real woman, I bet she was at least thirty - was walking down the street and went up a decorated house across the street and knocked on the door. We watched her say "trick or treat" and hold out her purse. A few awkward moments later, we hear her say "I'm fifteen" (neighbor must have asked how old she was). Neighbor gives her some candy, and she storms off saying "b@$ch" under her breath (but loud enough for us to hear from across the street). Classy.

It sort of bugs me when big kids w/o costumes come asking for candy, but we generally just go along with the spirit of the day and hand out candy to anyone that comes.

[no5no5]

Personally, I think it's kind of sad that some kids are told they can't engage in a healthy, fun event just because they reach a certain age. I think as long as they aren't embarrassed about doing something childish, they should totally go for it. They won't be kids forever...

...but honestly, I'd be pretty amused (not annoyed) to see 50-year-olds trick or treating, so long as they were in costume.

[mamazee]

I think kids should be able to trick or treat until they feel they're too old, but I'd tell my kids they had to wear a costume. If you think you're too old to wear a costume, then you're too old to trick or treat.

But it's a fun time, and why can't pre-teens and teens join in? Especially pre-teens. I can't imagine not letting a middle schooler trick or treat.

[Zach'smom]

If you are dressed up in an appropriate costume (nothing sexy) and you are not using a backpack (unless it is part of your costume) for a trick-or-treat bag and are polite and say trick-or-treat you will get your mini snickers bar from me. We didn't get many teens this year though. The teens that did come were costumed, polite and complimented my cat (he loves to hang out in the door and watch me hand out candy) so they got the "good stuff" Now any uncostumed teen with a backpack get a piece of cheap bubble gum. If we had a problem with hordes of teens shoving past the little ones I would probably be singing a different tune though.

[eepster]

Originally Posted by Addie

We were outside on Halloween taking pictures with DS right at 5:30, the official start or trick-or-treating in our city. A woman - a for real woman, I bet she was at least thirty - was walking down the street and went up a decorated house across the street and knocked on the door. We watched her say "trick or treat" and hold out her purse. A few awkward moments later, we hear her say "I'm fifteen" (neighbor must have asked how old she was). Neighbor gives her some candy, and she storms off saying "b@$ch" under her breath (but loud enough for us to hear from across the street). Classy.

It sort of bugs me when big kids w/o costumes come asking for candy, but we generally just go along with the spirit of the day and hand out candy to anyone that comes.

One time a woman came to our apartment with a bunch of kids ToTing. She was wearing a black top and cat ears, the way moms will often semi-dress up. After giving the kids some candy, I offered her some too. At some point I asked her how old her kids were. She looked completely shocked...

The oldest boy (10ish looking) told me she was their 12 yo big sister!

[Bellabaz]

I definitly went until about age 15 or so. When I was 16 me and a friend decided we were too old, btu then we got bored handng out candy so we put on last minute costumes from random stuff at her house and went anyway. =P After that I was working so I didn't go anymore.

[One_Girl]

Originally Posted by eepster

One time a woman came to our apartment with a bunch of kids ToTing. She was wearing a black top and cat ears, the way moms will often semi-dress up. After giving the kids some candy, I offered her some too. At some point I asked her how old her kids were. She looked completely shocked...

The oldest boy (10ish looking) told me she was their 12 yo big sister!

When I was that age my brother, 9 at the time, and I were going inside to use a restroom while on vacation and a guy told him to hold the door for his mom. I think the possible thirty year old was probably actually a teen, maybe dressed up to look older, and was tired of being given a hard time. Losing your cool and swearing about people are really common for teenagers from what I remember at that age.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by One_Girl

When I was that age my brother, 9 at the time, and I were going inside to use a restroom while on vacation and a guy told him to hold the door for his mom. I think the possible thirty year old was probably actually a teen, maybe dressed up to look older, and was tired of being given a hard time. Losing your cool and swearing about people are really common for teenagers from what I remember at that age.

I promise you, she was no teen.

[bandgeek]

I don't feel there should be an age cut-off. For one thing, if a bunch of people got snooty about about no one TorTing past age 12, for instance, then a lot of tall 10 year olds are going to get hassled. And a lot of petite kids could "get away" with it well into their teens or even adulthood. Plus, there are a lot of kids out there that maybe look "too old" but are developmentally much younger. You never know. And I don't really think it's right to judge who's too old to get candy.

I'm fine with teens TorTing as long as they are polite and not causing disturbances.

I went well into my teens. My 5 year old prefers to stay home and hand out candy. It evens out.

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by NiteNicole

I can't imagine discouraging a child who still wants to go. Here, we get a huge age range - from teeny babies who are asleep in mom's arms to teenagers. As long as everyone is polite, I am fine with it. Who doesn't like free candy?

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by PoetryLover

Honestly, I think our society places a lot of pressure on kids to grow up too fast. I think it's great when teens want to go trick or treating. It's much better than other things they could be doing (like pumpkin smashing, egging, ringing doorbells and running, etc--things teens in my old neighborhood did). I love a good piece of candy and I have no problem giving candy to teens. Growing up is hard. Teens and preteens receive so many messages about what they should or shouldn't be doing and I think most of this stuff should be left up to the children. For example, a nine year old may decide that she's not interested in trick or treating. A 17 or 18 year old may look forward to the experience all year long. To me it's like a lot of other things. For instance, my 11 year old DSD LOVES playing with baby dolls. My niece who is roughly the same age has zero interest in baby dolls. I'm not going to encourage my DSD to stop playing with dolls. She'll stop when she's ready to stop.

I remember crying when I was 12 because it was the last year I could go trick or treating. I felt like I was being forced to let go of a part of my childhood before I was ready to.

Exactly!!

[Dr.Worm]

Originally Posted by ancoda

I just read on yahoo this morning that one town in Illinois that fines you $100 if you are caught ToT over the age of 12. That is just wrong to me.

Yeah I heard about that on The View. What a bunch of bs!!!