To not want my children to take part in trick or treating?

[ValerieDavis]

Coming to that dreaded time of year again ... Halloween.

I've fairly strict with my children's diets and I really do not want to take them trick or treating this year. All those sugary sweets are no good for their teeth.

I've spoken with DH about this and he thinks that they've only young once and it's only for one night but the sweets tend to last a couple of weeks and I'm doing it for their own good.

I'm more than happy to buy them costumes and let them dress up and have fun on the day and will let them have a few sweets, just no trick or treating!

AIBU?

YANBU.

There are zillions of other ways children can have fun which don't involve door-knocking to threaten "tricks" if sweets aren't handed over.

How polite is it to turn up at someone's house and blackmail them by saying (in as many words) "give me sweets or I'll do something unpleasant"?

Not the best way of learning good manners and consideration for others!

YANBU my 8 year old has never been although this its nothing to do with sweets im just not comfortable with the thought of him a.knocking on strangers doors. And b.accepting things from strangers.
Its never bothered him in the slightest although I normally make sure we are out on Halloween to avoid the little beggars trick or treaters at our door.

with your mum. Chuffing auto correct, etc.

It's called being nice, A1980

What about being nice and respecting peoples choice not to take part?

YABU if it's just about the sweets - it's one day, you can hide some and ration them if you like

YABU about the begging - although I agree with you a bit - I dread halloween every year but I'm a miserable git

IME children like going out in the dark all dressed up.

I don't allow my children to go trick or treating as a rule, the one occassion we did do it, we rang a few friends and arranged for them to be "surprised", as a half way mark why not set some friends up with some not so sugary treats and just go to those houses. I refuse to give loads of sweets etc to kids banging on my door demanding stuff and threatening if you don't give them enough. It's totally ridiculous now, often they don't want sweets - just money!

I got some 12yo carol singers once, Worra. In February.

I sent 'em packing

I think the system of only going to houses that clearly like halloween is fine. My FIL loves halloween and makes it very clear - pumpkins up the driveway leading to his door, ghost lights in the window etc.
But like I said before they don't just visit those houses where we live, they knock on any door they fancy and get angry when you don't answer the door.

If you don't want to take part that's fine.

But to say the reason you don't want to take part is because none of the people have made an effort to GED to know you is a bit meh

Just say no thanks or don't answer the door if it GENUINLEY concerns you to hand out sweets once a year.

yes, round here the "pumpkins outside" rule works well.

I take my pumpkin in as soon as I can and hide in the kitchen with the lights off

Get not GED

If you dont want them.to do ut thats up to you but i will take mine out. They live it and we only knock on the houses with pumpkins outside. Its fun, the kids enjoy it and the sweets last for ages (and i eat the nice ones when the kids are in bed)

Poundland had loads of awesome halloween stufg last week, i cant wait!

But I shouldn't have to ignore the door. People should use sense and only knock at door of houses of people who obviously want visitors.

Last Halloween DS had just come out of hospital, I put a sign on the door asking people not to knock and still had to listen to the doorbell all night.

Trick or treaters need to show some politeness and common sense.

Mine used to cal them Trickle Treaters

Don't like it, don't do it. Pips.

Where we are tis loverly, more a case of the kids dressing up and showing their costumes, all very friendly and polite. I love it, and you remind me I need to go and dig the gravestones out of my loft for my front garden..

I'd love to do toffee apples but quite literally we must get about 80 children round.

The opposite thing happens here, the kids hand out gifts usually vegetables, butter and cheese to the elderly. We do not use pumpkins but make the lanterns from turnips instead, there is always a competition to get the biggest turnip.

Just wonder if the folk who don't want their kids to take sweets off strangers once a year still have that strange man Santa Clause come once a year giving out gifts. Do you take them to see him where they promise to be good boys and girls for Santa?

bureni

Where are you? That sounds a bit more like it!

Begonia

What queue for ages in a shopping centre? No fear!

Jamie, I am out in the sticks in N.I

That's one thing I love about ds school, Santa comes and visits during the Christmas parties :)

We used to have turnip lanterns when I was a kid.

Jamie, I don't do queuing for Santa. We just chance our arm and do a smash and grab style Santa visit! Each year we have a competition throughout December of who can spot the crappiest Santa.

YANBU. I was never allowed to go trick or treating as a child, because my mum thought it was begging. It hasn't done me any harm - I never wish I had gone or anything. I often used to go to a friends house and we had a little halloween party. Don't think I missed out at all. I think YABU to not let your children eat sweets though!

I don't have a problem with little ones going trick or treating - I think they enjoy getting dressed up and walking around in the dark, and of course getting sweets. I don't think it is right for groups of teens to go around doing it, as then I do just see it as begging really, and they can (and I'm not saying all teenagers do this) take it too far and it can feel a bit intimidating, and there is absolutely no excuse for egging houses/cars etc. A trick like a 5 year old dangling a plastic spider in front of your face is cute. A trick like a 15 year old egging your car is wrong.

A1980 has made an effort, but says these people "look right through you when you say good morning etc. Sounds like the neighbours are only interested in saying hello if they want something - would annoy me too!

That's interesting Bureni that's pretty similar to how it was for us as kids growing up in N.E. England, though it was ginger wine + ginger perking that was given out by dressed up kids + we often got toffee apples in return - got to admit I much preferred it that way, but living south now its all trick or trick here too, but I love it + love that certain areas really go for it, lots of houses done up, ours too + decor it pumpkin in the window works well here too - personally I cant wait - + I'm also in the limit sweets camp, as a result DD isn't that bothered about the sweets, but enjoys the whole fun of it - so OP -

• YABU