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Original poster

Since when did kids get so... grabby?! (A Halloween one)

390 replies

MessyHouse91 · 31/10/2018 17:53

Perfectly happy to be slated here - I don’t spend much time with kids (expecting DC1) so this might just be a kid thing!

This is my first year living in a house on an estate (moved from my city centre flat) so my first year buying sweets for the trick or treaters. I love Halloween so I bought massive bags of sweets.

The first kids I held the bowl out so they could choose their own sweets from the selection, but each of the kids grabbed massive handfuls for 5 or 6 bags of sweets each.

For the next kids, I held the bowl out again and said ‘one each please’. The kids didn’t listen and took big handfuls again, and then Mum looked a little embarassed and told the kids to put them back. I didn’t know if it was the done thing to give them a limit and didn’t fancy standing on the doorstep while the kids rifled through their bags trying to figure out which ones it was, so I told her not so worry about it.

The third lot, I put the sweets into their bags for them. One little boy asked if he could have another for his sister, so I chucked in an extra, and then he got half way down the drive and asked for another for his sister. I said ‘I gave you one for your sister’ and he said ‘that was for my big sister, this one is for my little sister’. I gave him a third, and he shouted to his friends ‘SCORE! GOT ANOTHER ONE’.

I loved trick or treating as a kid (my mum only ever let me go to neighbours we knew) so I don’t want to be miserable about it. I was just so looking forward to decorating and seeing all the kids in their costumes! I know it’s just kids and just sweets but the whole thing seems a bit sad, especially as I’m now out of sweets before it even gets going.

Do I go to the shop and buy more and enjoy the whole thing and chalk it up to experience, or do I stop answering the door and be grumpy for the rest of the night?

OP posts:
Worriedwombat2015 · 01/11/2018 21:59

Only polite kids near me. We only had a few, so I was practically begging them to take more than one sweet as I still had a whole bowl full!

I took mine out earlier, still young, they were pretty excited, so I didn't 100% trust they might scoop an enthusiastic handful.

We only knocked at decorated houses and I did remind them before each knock "only take one and remember to say thank you"

Some people let them pick and others put something in their tub. I wouldnt be impressed if any kids came scooping up handfuls or complaining they didn't like anything on offer, cheeky gits.

manicmij · 01/11/2018 22:04

If you have ever lived in Scotland you will have experienced Halloween when money is the norm. It's "guising" not trick or treating. Each guiser should do a little performance eg poem, song, tell 2 or 3 jokes before being given the money. Mo ey collected used to go to buy fireworks but the whole occasion is being diminished by the American trick or treat candy grab.

Leapfrog44 · 01/11/2018 22:14

I never get through the sweets and end up eating them myself. All the kids were taking one each and I was desperately saying - take more take more! I bought 3 smallish bags and the kids took less than half. Pretty polite honestly.

dementedpixie · 01/11/2018 22:20

I'm from Scotland and it was never for money in my area! We did it for sweets and also monkey nuts and tangerines

Vampiratequeen · 01/11/2018 22:24

My DD took 1 for her and 1 for my DS at each house, a couple told her to take more and 1 or 2 offered me sweets as I was dressed up too.

AlbaChick · 01/11/2018 22:28

Where I lived we didn’t have American trick or treat nonsense. We went out “guising”. We dressed up, knocked on doors and had to do a “turn”, whether it be a joke or song or whatever. We would hold out our bags and the householder would dish out a mix of fruit, sweets etc. Even if a householder said they had nothing left, you’d still say Thankyou but you wouldn’t dream of carrying out an act of vandalism. It just wasn’t even thought about.

strawberryalarmclock · 01/11/2018 22:33

I've not read the whole thread but to the poster who suggested giving out walnuts?!! Well, words fail me, I'm shocked!!! 

NoMudNoLotus · 01/11/2018 22:36

We had lovely children round to ours , and our own DC had a lovely time trick or treating.

Last night reaffirmed my faith in people .

NoMudNoLotus · 01/11/2018 22:38

@strawberryalarmclock someone actually did give my DS a handful of nuts last night !!

IAmNotAWitch · 01/11/2018 22:43

All teens who visited were just as well behaved as the little ones and all got sweets.

Where we live there is a lot of 'community', I know most of the kids, or at least their parents, they know me etc.

My fav group were a pack of toddlers that came barreling down the driveway all at once, it was just so damned cute. I may have given them rather more than one each.

I too blame the parents, raising such polite and well mannered children, then letting them interact with their neighbours in a positive manner, it is outrageous.

JonNTerry · 01/11/2018 23:01

Yesterday we had a mixture. Some very polite kids, some trying to take the bowl and some not even dressed up, didnt say anything just held open a carrier bag then walked off Confused

MisterT373 · 02/11/2018 02:23

I was in Corpus Christi in Texas for Halloween. I Don't think there was one kid who took more than one piece of candy when it was offered and some had to be prompted to take a couple. There was no discrimination of older kids or those without much effort in their costume. They were pretty polite and in the spirit of the whole event. My friends banded out candy for 2 5 hours and got through at least 10 bags and they were massive bags. It was also 28 degrees and warm

Aintnothingbutaheartache · 02/11/2018 02:36

Move

CranmersBarmaid · 02/11/2018 04:54

HoppingGreen and AjasLipstick I wasn't doing it to judge. I'd forgotten about Halloween and went to get stuff to give the kids; clementines were what I had to hand. Though had I remembered, I might've done clementines anyway. I don't entirely see why festive food should only be crap lollies...

The only other times I've seen Halloween it's been in Canada where all the kids and parents were exceedingly polite, and many people gave out fruit.

TomPinch · 02/11/2018 06:27

My DGM from Manchester remembers something called Mischief Night. It sounded a lot worse than trick or treat.

AjasLipstick · 02/11/2018 06:40

Cranmers well fruit's not the norm in the UK so prepare to be judged. What's the point in participating if you're not going to give sweets or something? I mean...the child you had was very rude but then you weren't much better really.

It's not as though children see a satsuma as a treat..it's not 1930! It's meant to be a treat.

FrenchFancie · 02/11/2018 07:39

We had a mostly good group except for one group of 8 year old boys who were very grabby, and kicked down one of my decorations on the way to the front door. They didn’t realise I was walking right behind them, so gave them a telling off for breaking my stuff

Fresta · 02/11/2018 08:17

YesTom, mischief night was the night before bonfire night (in Yorkshire). According to my DM the children would play tricks on the neighbours like knocking on doors and running away, throwing eggs etc. I vaguely remember it as a child in the 1970s and remember some local teens used to cause quite a lot of damage. It seems to have died out now though in favour of Halloween- probably a good thing!

Sb74 · 02/11/2018 08:27

My kids were very excited about it all (9 and 11). They are well mannered and wait to be told how much they can have. Most houses let them have two or three. They always said thank you as did I from the top of the drive. I think most kids are well mannered near me from what I’ve seen. It’s just a bit of fun and the kids do get giddy if they get a few packs. I think saying how many they can take is the norm.

Sb74 · 02/11/2018 08:32

Fruit!? How to spoil the fun!! If you’re going to take part do it properly or don’t answer the door. Even if children like fruit that would be a big disappointment to anyone on Halloween. It’s not going to catch on I’m afraid!!

Mymycherrypie · 02/11/2018 08:36

Yes. Give free stuff properly or not at all ffs. 🙄 What ungrateful idiots, it’s not a human right to go begging for sweets. Don’t like it, buy your own. Sorted 😂

sadsadsady · 02/11/2018 08:37

@ChrisNReed

It won't go away but I for one will not be feeding the greedy little mouths lapping it up. You reap what you sow

Ain't you a peach? 🙄

Sb74 · 02/11/2018 08:59

Are you people actually parents that are so miserable about children having fun? Everyone we went to on Halloween loved it and joined it. Thank god for lovely people who think of others. Kids are just very excited on Halloween and if faced with a bucket of sweets and no rules may try their luck.

Havaina · 02/11/2018 09:23

Are you people actually parents that are so miserable about children having fun?

That sounds quite judgemental.

Pickleup · 02/11/2018 09:42

Am I the only person who thinks T&T is begging, and pretty grim?

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