Trick or Treating: How Old Is Too Old

I don't think there is never an age to be too old to trick or treat I am 27 and I may love it more than my 7 year old

When they are too embarrassed to have their Mom or Dad escorting them safely through the neighborhood, that's when they are too old. :)

Lisa hit it right on the head, when they are embarrassed by mom escorting them through the neighborhood. That is choice, I love it! The other comments were great too. Really though,it starts when other older kids do it, like anything else, they think it's okay and parents won't say no. I wonder why that is??? I would encourage your church to hold their own "trunk or treat" to keep the children off the streets, off the doorsteps of strangers and then I think it's safe and fun for everybody to dress up and have a really fun time together as families and friends.

Ummm....I have four kids, only two of whom trick-or-treated this year..they are 6 and 1. The ten year old helped out at several events, she dresses up and carried her little brothers bag. Lots of people included her, but honestly, she felt too old to actually trick or treat this year. My eldest who is twelve (these two are almost 11 and 13) had multiple costume parties to attend throughout the month of October, but he would not be caught trick or treating. That is for babies! In my house once you are out of elementary school--no more trick or treat for you.

I know trick or treating night is gone but I still like to weight in.
I had no idea people even think of age appropiate to trick or treat. In my neiborhood we have tons of kids and teenagers and we all know that around 8 or 9 the big kids came, so we have always candy for them too. If its all in great fun I can't think of one good reason to tell a kid "you are too old" or "is too tacky to go trick or traeting at your age". Is a fun night to dress up. We see a lot of adults in our subd that love to do it too and they all have a blast. If is all in good healthy fun,then they shuld enjoy the night, and I think that actually THE KIDS would be the ones to decide - well, I think I am too old for this-. I am sure as they get older, like others moms have said, they start to be interested in other activities, their ouw parties, movies etc. Let her be a kid as long as you can. There is PLENTY of time to be an adult...

A.

My nieces and nephews are all over 13 and none of them go trick or treating. The teenagers go out to the movies and/or football games..the older ones in college are usually working or playing football to busy for any parties.

I was trick or treating till I graduated high school. I don't think that there is an age limit on trick or treating as long as they are behaving them selves. It's a lot of fun.

I say pick your battles -- this seems harmless enough, she could be wanting to do worse things. I trick or treated until I was 18, and was proud to do it. I was under strict rules to never cause any damage or deface property, no illegal activity of any kind, no egg'ing or TP'ing, etc., but I never wanted to do any of that anyway. The fun of dressing up and getting free candy was enough for me. The only reason I quit was because I felt silly. I am now a mom and I intend to let my son trick or treat as long as he wants to and it's safe to do it. There's no harm in it and as long as he doesn't get into trouble I don't see a problem with it. I've never had any trouble with the teens that come to my door, and I've lived all over the country. Good luck next year! I am 37, and my son is 20 months.

I think after age 12 -13 at the most -it's time to just do parties or festival events. However, not only do we have teenaged trick-or-treaters, we have PARENTS who have their own treat sacks and expect candy! In the spirit of the holiday I love so much, I am generous and give it to everyone, but COME ON -that's so tacky! I don't think anyone over 13 should be collecting candy.

Come on! It's one of the few times folks come out visit their neighbors face to face. If they dress up in a costume and come to visit my house to show me, that's all that counts in my book. I'm not going to begrudge someone a 25 cent candy because I think they're too big. Sheesh!

Actually, my husband and I both donned costumes when we took our kids around, and a lot of folks offered *US* candy, too! I went as Sarah Palin, so I was able to keep in character and say "Thanks, but no thanks!" But some folks insisted I take at least one chocolate. My husband didn't ask, but didn't refuse, either.

Now, one of the first groups that came around our door was being escorted by two older teenagers - older brothers, both in costume. One of the boys, seventeen years old and fully one foot taller than me, probably weighs 100 pounds more than me. But he is a GREAT kid - we have him watch our pets when we're out of town. And his family always has lots of great Halloween decorations, and each family member always has their own pumpkin. (6 total!) But he was dressed in a costume, and that's all that counts for me.

I even gave the big teenager more, although I teased him a little. I figure it's kind of a nostalgic thing - it was obviously a highlight of being a kid, and you only get to do it once a year.

You know, a lot of folks get upset when little kids forget to say "thank you" but they rarely say "Thanks for coming by and showing me your great costume. It looks like you worked h*** o* it." (I've found that when I thank them for visiting, they usually remember to thank me for the candy.)

Hi S., I think if teenagers are behaving themselves I don't mind if they come trick r treating to my house. Kids of all ages love candy. I do agree that once the kids reach an age they do start to go to parties and other activities. I have a 16 (boy), 13 (girl), and a 2 1/2 (girl)year olds. My 16 yr. for the past 3yrs. he would do some treating, but usually helped his friend with a haunted house. This year because of a football game there was no Haunted house, so he dressed up and hung out around our house. My 13 yr. old went to a party and I took my 2 yr old to a couple of houses. We came home and I let my little one hand out the candy. I think kids out grow it eventually. Let your daughter enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows next year she may not want to do it anymore....on her own.

S.

Hi S.,

My girls, 13 and 16, volunteer at the Nursing Home on a lot of holidays and on Halloween they invite their friends to help them. That way they can still see their friends, but aren't out and about in the neighborhood. I don't know if your daughter would be interested, but so many places love to have young people around.

Regards,

M.

Okay, 14 is pushing it a little, I agree. But, we do have a bit of a double standard for our kids sometimes telling them to hurry up and grow up when we need them to watch our little ones, clean up, etc. Then, to stay kids when watch with fear how quickly they turn to drugs and sex (gulp!) and adult language and behavior that makes our skin crawl and our hearts skip a beat.

But, then I remember walking around door to door at 16 thinking, "Am I too old for this?" My heart still enjoyed the experience of dressing up and knocking and getting candy and I didn't even care about eating the stuff...

I lived in NJ for my trick or treating years, and it is very different there than it is here, so I don't know how much my comments will help. I think the last year I went trick or treating, I was a sophomore in high school. After that, I started going to partied on halloween.

I know exactly what you are talking about. My daughter is 13 and is about 5'4. My husband and I told her that this was her last year trick-or-treating. We believe she is too old and at this point all she really cares about is how cute her costume is. We will take her and buy her a bag of candy, if it is that serious.

I'm not sure what the norm is but I went every year until I graduated high school. It was fun and I didn't have to bug my little sister to let me have some of her candy because I had my own. It's all in fun and think about it, we are still kids at that age. If your child chooses to stop before that then it is fine but for alot of us, we had to take our siblings and make sure they stayed on sidewalks and things. We came from a small town and knew just about everyone in it so not too many strangers.