To put a note on my door asking people not to knock tonight...

[awakemysoull]

I have a 4 yo and 4 month old.

I know it will be chaos at bedtime and once they are settled I really don't want them to be woken up.

I remember last year the door went every 5 minutes for a few hours with guisers and it was really annoying.

Would I be a total cow to put up a polite note saying please don't knock the door, I have sleeping children but have a great night?

Or something along those lines.

I'm prepared for a flaming it's only one night etc etc but to be honest I'm on the bones of my arse as it is so I don't really have spare cash to buy sweets etc for the village kids.

YANBU If that's what you want to do then why not?

Not at all.

I keep curtains closed, porch lights off and don't answer the door myself.

Our neighbourhood watch send out posters if you don't want ToTers, it seems perfectly reasonable to only join in if you want to.
My street has half a dozen houses decked with Hallowe'en bits and bobs, usually they are the only ones that get knocked.

I've printed off a 'no trick or treaters' sign from the local police website so, no, YNBU as you have such young children.

I've got no such excuse, I'm just a grumpy mare!

Yanbu. I just won't be answering the door.

Not at all. I have 2 babies under 2 and wont be happy if people knock once they are in bed. But then i am not the biggest fan of halloween anyway

I think I'm going to put one up saying no trick or treaters after 8, we haven't had any later than that in the past but I would be annoyed if they woke DD up. Anyone young enough to be trick or treating should be home by then anyway.

Leave a huge sign clearly written and a big tub of sweets. Put a quarter of sweets in them and refill every so often.
If you're worried about bit entering into the spirit if things. ( lol ) or spoiling excited children's fun , this might be a nicer way to do it.

My son has strict instructions not to knock on any house without a pumpkin or some sort of Halloween banner etc. Annoys me when parents don't tell their children this. If they aren't old enough to realise that if these things aren't out then they shouldn't knock then they aren't old enough to be out on their own.

In answer to your question, definitely put a sign up saying not to knock. If they do just ignore

'not' - not 'bit'

Yanbu. I won't be opening the door.

mummyoftheyear, did you miss the part about the OP not being able to afford buckets of sweets?

Of course not- just don't answer the door and perhapsuse one of these.

Our local police have a poster here

I am actually disconnecting my doorbell. There are so many kids around here and I do not want the baby woken up!

Seems perfectly reasonable to me

No, YANBU. I think if there is no outward sign of Halloween, i.e no decorations etc, people tend to pass by, but nothing wrong with putting up a sign anyway.
I just leave the front of the house in darkness for the few hours that the trick or treaters are around.

Glad it's not just me that is being grey tonight! I hate Halloween, but seem to be in a minority amongst my friends.

Grey . I meant grumpy but then I am starting to get a few grey hairs these days...

We bring the pumpkin in at 8ish or when we've run out of sweets, then ignore the door.

Round here it seems to be that if you put a pumpkin out, you are happy to have children knock. No pumpkin, no callers.

I have 2 small children and I'll just be hiding with the curtains closed lol

I love Halloween and I only allow my children to trick or treat people who advertise they are happy for children to knock. I am not in the least bit offended by posters or notices asking for no knocks in fact I find it helpful.

YANBU.

The guide where I live seems to be if there is a light in the pumpkin knock, otherwise do not disturb.

I'm switching off my doorbell and not putting the outside light on. I have 2 under 3 and my DH is away on business and I'm a bit scared of Halloween