AIBU to tell my 12yo he's too old for trick or treating?

[pennyspent]

My 12yo DS has been invited trick-or-treating by some friends, but I don't want him to go. In the past we've always gone out as a family (I have a 10yo too), but last year I told DS1 it was probably his last time. It's not just his age, but his height - he's almost 5' 9""! I think trick or treating is fine for little kids, going round the neighbours, but I don't like to see older kids and teens doing it.

I've said he can invite friends round to watch a Halloween movie instead. He's happy with the plan in principal, but so far everyone's said no because they're all going out trick or treating! Feeling bad about it. AIBU?

I think its fine for him to go as long as he hangs back from the younger kids. Let them ring the bell etc.

I'm a huge horror fan and love all things spooky, so I'm quite pro-Halloween in general.

Each to their own but I think 12's probably OK. And he can't help being tall!

I do think that when kids get to being teenagers, it's probably more appropriate for them to be accompanying or supervising little ones than to be trick or treating just in groups of kids their own age. When small kids knock on the door they're as excited about being dressed up and what-have-you as they are about getting the sweets and I'm more than happy to give them something. When it's just three sullen 15-year-olds in their trackie bottoms and Scream masks who are clearly not remotely excited and just trying to screw sweets out of people, it's a different story, IMO. But I've seen some older kids really making an effort with younger kids (and I've also noticed that a lot of the older ones supervising smaller siblings don't even take sweets unless I specifically offer them to them).

When I was a teenager my mates and I never went trick or treating; we just gathered round my house, where my room was full of horror stuff all year round because I was a weird nerd, and put goth makeup on each other and watched horror videos.

3luckystars - fine to go trick or treating if you're accompanying your kids and you aren't expecting to be given sweets. If you're going on your own or you expect people to give sweets to you as well as to your kids, that seems really weird to me and I'd be very uncomfortable with that. I'm pretty sure if you're my age you can buy your own Haribo at this point in your life...

"And the "heightism" on this thread is extreme."

It's not heightism to be aware that a tall person could beat me up more easily than a small child.

Babyspider, if a tall twelve year old comes to my door in a mask, how do I know if he's 12 or 22?