To think shots for parents while kids trick or treat is bad?

[alco]

I'll start by pointing out I am a recovering alcoholic and I really do no think I am only of those preachy people that now look down on anyone for drinking.

In a group (mainly US based) about sobriety I am in one lady was saying in her area people now hand out alcoholic shots to the parents when the kids trick or treat. Some people are defending it saying just because she has a problem with alcohol doesn't mean that every one does. I completely agree. But I really do not think there is a need to hand out shots while the kids are out trick or treating. '

Some even said on local mum groups people are sharing maps of which houses will be participating.

AIBU or is this normal?

There are a lot of stupid people out, both on foot and in cars. In my PILs village last year there were a lot of near misses. I saw 3 in the 20 odd minutes I was out walking from MILs friends houses.
It surely isn't that irregular for excited kids to be darting about, parents not always hot on their heels and people in a rush, in the dark in halloween.
And in reply to your comment about needing to be a pretty shit driver to do damage on Halloween, a lot of people don't seem to give a flying fuck about anyone else or anything getting in their way. I'm judgemental of them too, but that's half of why I don't think alcohol on Halloween night whilst out with kids is a good idea.

Now I'm imagining people refusing to drink in pubs because they don't know the barman

I don’t drink so perhaps I’m seeing it a certain way but here goes - I think it’s an odd and slightly stupid thing to do.

Been on various trick or treats with group of kids when they were younger and invariably one might dawdle behind the group or spend a while leaving a certain house. We were always at a safe distance to see all of this. Had me or any of my other parent friends been plastered after several shots along the way we may have missed this and lost a child along the way or not been quick to react had something gone wrong.
Bad and unnecessary idea. Yanbu.

I think the trick is to not get plastered. Lot’s of parents having a cocktail/beer/shot in my neighborhood this weekend during TorT and no random children found on the doorstep in the morning. There was a FB post that someone left a folding chair at the after party though… and a stuffed bear was found in a candy bucket.

All the neighborhood kids managed to make it home with their parents.

Plenty of times to have a few drinks without lots of young kids in tow in the dark and high on sugar 🤷‍♀️ still think it’s a bad idea.

Can you please send me the map? 😉

The thing is I think if you can't turn down a drink while walking your children on halloween then when can you turn down a drink? Some people struggle with overeating so all the sweets given out is a huge trigger. Maybe we should bin the whole tradition..

I don't really see anything wrong with it, I'm picturing themed mini cocktails rather than neat shots of vodka though

I’m not sure i’d trust a shot from a random person.

I think this is a bit of a cultural thing too… Halloween is celebrated equally but differently in the US at different stages of life.

kids- Trick or Treating
Teens- haunted houses/attractions/school dances
Young Adults- bars and costumes
Middle Age- Trick or treating (with cocktails) or Halloween parties

So it’s not just a kids holiday.

As PP have said, it can be different in some parts of the USA. It’s not necessarily trudging from house to house in the dark and rain wearing a bin bag or cheap mask and necking a shot at each door!

We went trick or treating in Florida a few years ago and it was like a big street/neighbourhood party. Most houses taking part were set up outside with tables offering sweets to the kids and beers/shots for adults. Music was playing, everywhere was outrageously decorated - it was a great atmosphere.

It’s not necessarily trudging from house to house in the dark and rain wearing a bin bag or cheap mask and necking a shot at each door!

Eep if that’s what trick or treating is like for you guys I think I would need a drink!

I never heard of it in the U.K., but if I were traipsing round cold streets with T or T-ing kids, I dare say I’d quite like a little tot of something warming. Drambuie would be nice.

I don’t thing anything about the way America celebrates Halloween is normal compared to the UK.

I wouldn't get upset about it. With the current COL crisis I doubt many households will partake in this 😂

I'm in Canada and never seen this

I'll look out for it on Thursday

Probably not great if you have a problem with alcohol and are trying to stay clean... there you are, innocently taking your kids T or T'ing, and it's a bit of an ambush on your sobriety... especially as some people can be a bit insistent about it... 'Come ooon, it's just a little shot, don't be boring...'.

Perhaps they could dress as a devil and offer it to you over your left shoulder... and someone dressed as an angel could lean over your right shoulder and try to dissuade you... 😈😇

They've got to get rid of it somehow... 🤢😁

Sounds great, pity my kids are adults.

And you I am afraid, sound like a snob.

I will fess up to that, isthismylifenow!

They are normally mini bottles that are sealed, not just a mystery liquid poured into a shot glass 😄 premixed single cocktail shots and single serve bottles of vodka/whisky etc are far more common here than in the UK/ireland. They just buy them in bulk and offer them to parents.

I completely abhour the drinking around young children. If children are young enough for trick or treating parental supervision they need a person without alcohol onboard.

lol ours are mostly mystery liquid, but again we all know each other so it’s not like a guy handing out shots from his white van in a dark alley.

We only ever trick or treated where we knew the neighbours or at friends houses. Quite often a stop for half an hour and a glass of Prosecco was offered. I would not take this kind of thing from a stranger though.

Never heard of this. My first thought was that Halloween is already a really bad evening for children being hit by cars (loads of kids roaming the streets after dark and dressed in black= more accidents) and that last thing I’d want to add to that mix is alcohol.