Trick or Treating - A Vent!

[mrsltg]

Hi All-

My older dd is nearly 5. She dressed as Cinderella bride last night and we went trick or treating. While out we ran into several large groups of tweens and young teens with no costumes using backpacks to collect candy. They were awful! They'd push past the little kids (not just my dd) or they would pack in so tight at the door that the little ones couldn't move once they'd gotten their candy.

When I was at my house giving out candy the same age range kids wouldn't say "trick-or-treat" they'd just hold out their bags and wait for the candy. Next year I am going to have two candy bowls - one with good stuff, and one with something yuck. Are all kids that age purely obnoxious or was I just running into the wrong kids all night long?

UUUGGGHHH!

Erin

 

[becka]

I can see I am not the only one with a little post-Halloween TOT'ing vent.

 

[Christine]

Erin,
We live in the same are pretty much and I noticed the same thing last night in our neighborhoods (and these weren't kids from my neighborhood). Large packs of teens with backpacks, the girls were heavily perfumed. They were loud and unruly. As we moved away, they were throwing pieces of candy at the kids in my group.

My poor son got hit in the head with a box of Milk Duds!!!

I just wanted to go over and punch them they were so rude.

 

[Dee & Greg]

In our neighborhood, it is a tradition that folks sit in their driveways in lawn chairs to pass out candy. this way you can see the kids costumes. We have a lot of little ones in the neighborhood. (Actually, my driveway is popular because we serve wine to the parents!)
We had a few teens, but they were dressed up and polite. Maybe it's because there are 4-6 adults sitting in the drive and they wouldn't dare be rude in front of the adult men.
TOT is a big deal in our neighborhood, but it was over at 8pm and we turned out the lights. Very fun!

 

[buddy&wooz]

I won't give out candy to kids who aren't dressed up (unless they can explain their "costume"... for example my son, a big Mets fan, went out yesterday as a Yankee fan in a Yankee jersey and hat. If you didn't know him you'd assume he wasn't dressed up.) I also make them say trick or treat (the older ones anyway, I won't force a shy 4 year old!)

My oldest son went out for the last time when he was 13 or 14 with some friends- they said at one house a lady made them sing for them (they sang Happy Birthday) and they also went out of their way to visit houses that were off the beaten track, often with elderly owners, who were thrilled to have them stop by. But they were dressed up and obviously polite (to get the reactions they got.)

 

[mickeyfan2]

Our tweens and teens all said trick or treat or happy halloween. They even complimented us on our decorations and told us they love coming to our home every year.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We had a couple of kids just hand me the bag, but I said "what do you say?" before I would give them anything. They HAD to say trick or treat. I sit on the porch so I get respectful kids.
Robin M.

 

[Mom2Ashli]

I had a lady about 25 or so dressed up and she said Trick or Treat. So I gave her some candy.

 

[ScoJo15]

I basically saw three types of ToT'ers:

1. Little cuties -- the 0-3 set that are so adorable and have no idea what is going on.
2. Youngsters -- the 4-12 set that love to dress up, get candy and know that they should say "trick or treat" and "thank you". This is what halloween is all about
3. (*&#(*&# -- the 13-75 set that should not be ToT'ing and when they do, they don't say anything and are as ungrateful as possible.

Maybe I'm a little off on the ages, but if you are old enough to drive a car, then you don't need to be sprinting from house to house & loading up your oversized pillowcase with candy.

 

[momof2inPA]

(Actually, my driveway is popular because we serve wine to the parents!)

We served beer. Heck, Monday night football was last night.

The teens in our neighborhood were so-so. They were definitely having fun, but some were a bit rude. A few kids took the new neighbor's candy, then knocked over his candy bucket and laughed about it. He brought in his bucket and turned off the light after they left. It was kinda sad.

 

[DVC Jen]

Ok Guys.. please don't start judging ALL teens and tweens by the actions of those that need a good talking to. My 12 yr old went out last night and I know for a fact she always let little ones go first (she actually took some little ones out). She also always says trick or treat, is polite and remembers to say thank you and you're welcome.

Yes there are many kiddos in this age group who are extremely obnoxious (we got a few of them at my house and no way did I give them the amount of candy I gave to the polite ones).. just please don't judge them all to be this way.

As far as the older teens... I didn't let my 17 yr old go. She wanted to..and I was really torn. They are teens yes.. they are old enough to drive and get jobs.. but inside they are also still kids and like to have fun like all kids do.. so try to understand especially if they are polite because for each child that isn't so polite there is one or two that is.

 

[NMAmy]

I had mostly teenagers come to our house and they were all polite and actually pretty funny. Maybe it's because I'm the mom of a teenager and they knew I could figure out pretty easily who they were.

 

[ScoJo15]

Of course there are some very nice and polite teenagers that still get a lot out of it...DVC Jen, I'm sure your youngsters are like that.....but there are so many others that ruin the experience. It is those kids we are venting about....

 

[LoveWDW]

For your 17 year old who really wanted to go- child at heart- maybe she could volunteer to escort some little ones. It would let the parents stay home to handle the tot'ers, and she'd have the fun of saying tot, likely getting some candy, and enjoying watching the younger children.

 

[Annie68]

I saw a lot of teenagers this year, but they were all very polite & appreciative . (My 14yo DD went TOT with her friends, I encouraged her to go!)
I did have a couple of girls come up with their Dad, probably 6-8 age range, and start pointing to what they wanted in my bowl. I buy the good stuff, so they saw quite a few things they wanted. I didn't mind, but was surprised that the Dad didn't say something to them .

 

[Magickndm]

Oh come on...it's supposed to be fun. I cannot imagine asking a kid what they're supposed to be, even if it is a teen.
We had a group of teens come by...they were as nice as could be and instead of asking for candy, they had a wagon and were asking for canned food to donate to the local food shelter. Sheesh...what is this world coming to?

Obviously the parents complaining about teens do not have teens......yet!

 

[bigmerle1966]

In the past we have had a problem with the rude "older" children, but this year they were much more polite and lots had an adult with the group. I usually handed out the "cheap" candy but this year was giving that in addition to the "good" candy.

 

[GillieRose]

I didn't really see to many teenagers in are neighborhood this year. But are neighborhood is made up of mostly young famlies. The teenagers we ran into where very nice to the young kids though.

 

[Christine]

Obviously the parents complaining about teens do not have teens......yet!

Actually, I am one of the parents/posters who complained about the teens and I have a 14 year old daughter who went trick-or-treating last night with her two friends. She dressed up in a pirate costume, took an actual Halloween bag for her candy, and, as far as I know didn't yell insults at the little kids or throw candy at them from 30 feet away and laugh when she hit the little kids on the head.

I did see a few other groups of teens that were all decked out in Halloween attire and were having a great time. There was one guy who made a VERY NICE cheerleader outfit for himself. There is absolutely nothing wrong with ALL teens and I think you should be able to go out on Halloween at any age as long as you are in the spirit of the event.

Obviously, the OP and I had "other" similar experiences. I will say that the other two "packs" that I ran into were not nice, were very threatening, had no costumes on, had backpacks on, were loud, insulting, and out to start trouble. There is a lot more I could say about them but would probably get the "PC" police on me.

 

[LoriKay]

We had only one group of teens. It was 5 boys and they were some of the best kids we had all night! They were polite and every one of them said thank you which is more than most of the little kids said. I realize that the really little ones don't always say thank you but when the kid gets to be 5,6,7ish you'd think they could be taught to say thank you! And my favorite kid of the night...about a 4 year old kid who, after receiving his Snickers bar, said he wanted bubble gum. I explained that I didn't have any bubble gum and he went crying down the driveway to his mother screaming that he wanted bubble gum.