When Do You Start Trick-or-Treating?
Halloween night rolled around and we headed out into the neighborhood. He was so excited. His costume started to glow and I thought he was going to trip and fall because he couldn't take his eyes off his glowing chest of bones. Then we headed into a cul-de-sac that was bustling with kids of all ages. Some of the older kids were chasing each other around while yelling and making howling sounds. Suddenly, my son sprinted away from me with his hands in the air, making ghostly noises and screaming, "I'm the boner. I'm the boner. I'm the big, scary boner."
He never could quite get the word skeleton out right and had this habit of using -er to form words: I'm an eater. Look at that flyer (airplane). You're a looker at my book, etc. I had no idea he'd come up with something like that, however. And there I stood in the middle of the sidewalk with all these other parents looking at me with confusion. I had to laugh. I just looked at them all, shrugged my shoulders and said, "I should have gotten the Cowboy costume!"
So, what are your plans this year? If you have kids under 2, do you plan on taking them door-to-door? And for you seasoned parents, what age do you consider as the first real year of trick-or-treating for your kids?
Comments
I took my daughter trick or treating around my apartment complex for her second halloween and she loved it. For her third halloween we went to my husbands grandmother’s neighborhood and she would go up to the door and say trick or treat and as soon as they put candy in her bag she’s look at me and say I want to go to the next house. It was cute, but my daughter has always enjoyed dressing up. Now my son on the other hand, this will be his second halloween and he will just be dressed up and he’ll walk with us but no trick or treating for him, he’s oonly 15 months and my daughter was 21 months on her second halloween.
My son is 9 months. We did buy him a costume - one that he would be completely mobile in and we are taking him “trick or treating”. That is we are showing him off in his costume at both of our offices and to our immediate neighbors - since he can’t eat candy we won’t do any “official” trick or treating
My son is three months old, we got him a pumpkin costume that is just like pajamas, and we are taking him door to door for this halloween. We know that he will probably have no idea what it all is, but it IS his first halloween since he has been born, just maybe not the first he will actually know what’s going on or what halloween even is.
My son is 3 and has never been trick-or-treating. Last year, I tried to put on his costume (a Hershey’s kiss), and he had a meltdown. This year, we’re trying a pirate, so we’ll see. Honestly, though, I don’t think any child under 4 or 5 really understands anything about Halloween.
Also, we plan to take him to the fall festival at our church, rather than around our neighborhood, as we feel it’s more appropriate. Maybe we’ll take him trick-or-treating when he’s older.
My kids are both under 4 years old. I never felt much like braving the cold, fighting crowds are taking a chance on having sicko’s for the sake of trick-or-treating. I plan on making a deal of it when it’s something they’ll retain and enjoy. So no rush for candy this year. Maybe next!
My co-work Pegi called me white trash.She said this because my Wife & I took are kid’s trick or treating before the age of three.She said its not personal,She thinks all the parents that show up at Her door step with toddlers are white trash.I would
like to know what you and other parents think.
I am taking my lil girl for the first time and she’ll almost be 2. We are only taking her to peoples places we know, pretty much just to show her off.lol!
Ok that is the funniest halloween story I have read in a while! “I am the boner” LOL!!!
Wait? Is everyone saying 2 and 3 year olds don’t get trick or treating? NO WAY! They LOVE it!
Erik- I think your coworker is the trashy one. Please. Sorry, I should have put all these comments into one. I read this in pieces.
Our daughter will be 2 on Oct. 27th. She catches onto things so quickly that I think she will have no problems grasping the concept. She may not understand the real meaning of it (the day of the dead,the costumes, etc. but it doesnt take much to figure out that u hold out a bag and somebody puts something in it. ) This will be her first year going out. We bought her a costume last year but for picture purposes only, and the year before she was only a few days old so I didn’t press the issue. If she doesnt like it we will call it a night and try again next year. If it is cold we will let her hand out the candy that way she still has a reason to dress up and she still gets to see everybody else’s costumes too. I think it is whatever age the parents feel the child will be comfortable going trick or treating (are they scared easy, is it cold, childs bed time, what they plan on doing with the candy afterwards)
I think they should start going trick-or-treating for candy around 2 or 3. But you can still dress them up if their younger than that
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My daughter is 3. We took her trick o treating ever since she was born, because we also had to take our 4 nieces and nephews.Last year she had fun with her cousints and now she is even more exited about it.
What a low thing to say, I mean your co-worker she should just stay inside her door and close her mouth if she dont like it!!!
We will be taking our twins out this year, they just turned two. I know they will love the experience and putting on their costumes on again. I bought their costumes early September and they tried them on and even on that hot day they didn’t want to take it off. WE grew pumpkins in the backyard this summer and are displayed out front- I believe it’s a fun learning experience.
When my daughter was 1 years old I dressed her up in a bee costume. That was her first trick or treating experience and she had a blast. We took her out about six or seven p.m. and there was still light out. She love seeing all the kids in their costume. Her head was turning so fast because of the kids laughing that I thought her cute tiny head would fall off lol. This year we would be bring her (now five years old) with new sibling who is 8 month old for her first trick or treat experience. Shhh don’t tell my kids but I believe we (mom&dad) have the most fun watching the expressions on their sweet little faces. psst, and we eat most of their candies lol just kidding.
My step son was 5 before I realized he had never went trick or treating. My husband and I took him out and he was frightened the whole time. No amount of talking could calm him. The next year he was more prepared and loved it.
When I had my one and only daughter, I started taking her out at one years old. Her birthday is in September. The first year was okay. This year she is two. We went up to people’s homes and she was more interested in the other kids, leaves, and the peoles pets then “treats” which I am proud of. Socializing is the main reason I bring her out, to teach her how to interact with others.