To refuse to allow....

[lemonstarfuckertree]

DS1 15 and DS2 12 to go 'trick or treating' with a gang of mates tomorrow?

For me Hallowe'en is for primary school age kids.. getting dressed up and wandering about locally, for 1/2 hr or so.

The idea of DS 1 who is HUGE and DS2 who is 5'5" and looks older and their mates banging on peoples doors asking for sweets with (implied) threats... NO. Its harassment and bullying.

DS1 is ok with the ban but DS2 is having a major strop.... so AIBU

[xCupidStuntx]

Why would a 15 year old even want to go trick or treating? YANBU

[Wishfulmakeupping]

Yanbu we had trick or treaters last year that must have been 15/16 I felt quite intimidated and I don't scare easy. Good for you for telling the no

[Wishfulmakeupping]

them no

[YouStayClassySanDiego]

No, stick to your guns.

[DidoTheDodo]

YANBU. They're too old. well done for saying no.
I don't think I'd be best please if a group of teenagers turned up on my doorstep demanding treats, regardless of the circumstances.

[Nanny0gg]

Well done lemonstarfuckertree

If more parents were like you I wouldn't have to barricade the garden and switch of all the lights at the front for the evening.

[catinboots]

YANBU

I stopped DS1 T&Ting at 11.

Who wants a mob of teenage boys hammering on their door, asking for shit?

Scary and threatening IMHO

[BoneyBackJefferson]

Two years ago we had a group of thirty 15 - 18 yr. olds "trick or treating" wearing scream masks.

that's got to be intimidating for anybody.

[Angelina77]

I used to go 'halloweening' with my little brother at 15 and we used to ask for money! Long time ago in Teesside mind you. We had a little song called 'have you got a penny for Halloween', how scroungey is that? Everyone did it though.

Fwiw, I think you should let them go.

[sweetheart]

My dd is 13 - I've told her she can go trick or treating if she meets 2 criteria:-

1. She dresses up properly - not a half arsed attempt
2. She takes her little brother with her (he is 8) because she is too old to go without small children.

I agree with you - I wouldn't allow my kids in the scenario you are facing.

[BeScarefulWhatYouWitchFor]

I wouldn't appreciate having a gang of teenagers knocking on my door either. YANBU

[fluffyraggies]

I think 10 or 11 is the upper age limit for T&Ting. After that it could be seen as quite intimidating for some.

(when i lived in west London we had 6ft trick or treaters in black hoodies knocking at 8 and 9 at night. scary. if you didnt answer the door and give them something you would get punished :( eggs, flour, paint up the door. bins emptied out and kicked about over the lawn etc)

[cakebar]

I'm with the others. They are too old. Do you know anybody with little ones that they could take out?

[Jolleigh]

YANBU OP. Gangs of teenagers are the precise reason I no longer open the door. I used to love giving treats to the small children too

[lizzzyyliveson]

Why not let your boys and their friends have a Halloween party at your place? They could watch a themed film and have appropriate snacks and get to answer the door to trick or treaters themselves. They might enjoy being on the other side of the equation now, with a big bag of goodies to dish out to little ones.

[FruitSaladIsNotPudding]

I would laugh at them if they turned up at my door. Why on earth would teenagers want to go trick or treating, it's for little kids isn't it?

[elcranko]

YANBU, they're too old IMHO. Lots of people I've spoken to about this subject no longer open the door on Halloween because the majority of the trick or treaters seem to be gangs of teenagers. They're spoiling it off the little children who genuinely enjoy it. Well done for saying no.

[elcranko]

FOR, not OFF

[teenagetantrums]

Well i wouldn't mind if they turned up at my door as long as they were dressed up, if they are children why cant they do trick or treating? but then i have teenagers and i don't find 'groups' of them intimidating.

[lemonstarfuckertree]

Thank you. I'm happy for DS3 (8) to go out with his friends (and will go with them to supervise) but I wouldn't answer the door to a bunch of marauding teenagers - and I think its awful the way they expect to be given sweets.... FFS....DS2 was talking about wanting a pillowcase to collect all his 'loot' ....

[usualsuspect]

I think they are too old for trick or treating.

But stop with the gangs of scarey teenager posts.

Teenagers are not scary

[farrowandbawl]

Well done for saying no.

[usualsuspect]

It's not harassment and bullying either.

MN really doesn't like teenagers.

[lemonstarfuckertree]

I love teenagers. Just not in big groups, at night, knocking on doors and asking for sweets. I don't like adults in this context either, or grannies [thismile]

[YesterdayI]

I think it's way too old at 15 and a bit too old at 12. Trick or treating should be for little kids.