Saw a child with mum trick or treating at 11:20pm (school night here)

[fmla]

I was about to go to bed. Noticed outside was a girl aged 5-7 wearing a Halloween outfit with several of those one off glow necklaces (that made me draw attention to begin with) with her mum. They were going to paths to houses and knocked on a couple of doors.

Who in their right minds will answer the door that time of night, unless you are expecting it - member of household returning back from work etc or ordering that very late takeout delivery?

Half term was last week here. It's not acceptable for a young child to be out that time plus some of the streetlights switch off at 11pm. It doesn't matter if its half term or not,

If the mum was working until, say 9pm, then she should arrange with DD's friends' parents to go round with them. If that is the case that she finished work, who looked after DD after school?

As the parent of child attending a special school the lsst thing I would be doing is dragging a child around at thst time of night
This thread is hilarious people tying themselves in knots justifying why they might be out thst late.

The schools where I live have different half-terms, it's not unusual.

I agree with previous posters - mum and child were most likely calling on neighbours/family/friends by prior arrangement.

I think it's hilarious that people are tying themselves up in knots to judge someone when they don't actually know anything about that situation.

Only in MN Land is it fine to go knocking on people's doors at half eleven at night going "trick or treat!"
What on earth happened to common sense and respect for others?! 😁

Not everyone in the UK is British and go to bed at 7 with the chickens and the roosters. My child never slept before 11 and neither did I, when I was a child or now. She sleeps around 11-ish or a bit later, me around 2-3am.

Granted, I wouldn't knock at strangers doors 11.20 in the UK, but easily would back home and that would be completely normal, very few would be in bed at that time. And definitely not if there's some sort of festivities going on.

I'm also regularly out late in the evening (if needed/wanted), just me or DD and me. On weekends or term holidays usually, but sometimes not. Don't see any problem with any of it.

No one knows that they were knocking on the doors of strangers though.🙄 They could have been knocking on the doors of people they know with prior agreement. What is wrong with that?

I missed the post where the OP said they were strangers to the family.

And such obviously nonsense 😂

As they didn't knock on OP's door, despite her being close enough to observe this, it would help suggest they weren't just knocking every door

If she's on Half Term she could be visiting family which would mean it wouldn't matter what local schools were on term wise

There's nothing to suggest the child was being "dragged around" reluctantly. She may well have wanted to be out. Not every child is tucked up at 7pm and grouchy if not.

What the fuck has it got to do with you?

Or us, actually.

But mainly you.

That time of night is too late for a small child to be out especially if there is school in the morning and it's too late to be knocking on doors for trick or treating.

However, there was nothing to suggest that they were knocking on doors and one late night isn't going to permanently damage a child.

I might have made a split second judgment but unless it was my door/my child/a serious welfare concern I would have just shrugged and let them get on with it.

OP is just having a moan, same as many posters on mumsnet.

Pretty sure it didn't keep her up at night as such she needed to investigate the matter further or contact the unknown school of the child.

It's an anonymous person she's talking about so hardly matters what she labels her.

Exactly. It's just a moan. She's zero intention of doing a thing about yet the scores of posters following her are impressively furious over nothing.

The fact OP is bothered so much suggests she believes herself to be right and thinks she knows what was happening. She has padded out what she saw to fit her fury

This thread is bizarre.

People having a pop at the op because she's commented on something she found odd. Which is what lots of threads do. It's not like she said:"you'll never guess what Doris at no32 Paradise street, Wolverhampton was up to at 1120 last night. "

And how many people on here, genuinely, wouldn't find a kid trick or treating at that time of night strange? Dh and I were out last night and got home about 1130. Pubs were quiet by then and there was no one around on the walk home. Lights all off in most houses. It would have felt definitely off to see a little kid knocking on doors. Especially at that time of night.

Totally crap parenting but as ever with these types of threads people will fall over themselves to defend this kind of nonsense. Kids that age should be tucked up in a nice warm bed at that time.

Are you actually ok? The OP said this "They were going to paths to houses and knocked on a couple of doors."

As the parent of an SEN child myself that attends a special school I also would not be dragging my child out at that time of night either! Not sure where you think I’m trying to justify why they were out late, I simply pointed out that not every school has their holidays at the same time! Please read my post before trying to say I’m justifying anything!!! Also as I pointed out earlier, we don’t know the circumstances or reasons why the parent did this so neither am I judging anyone!!

Oh I missed that. I wouldn't be knocking on houses at that time of night unless I was in an emergency.

Why are you bothering to reply if you’re so concerned about if it shouldn’t be occupying ‘headspace’?

To answer your question, my family and friends wouldn’t be knocking on my door that late unless it was arranged so yes, I would think something was wrong and it being Halloween doesn’t make any difference.

Because it’s funny seeing you get so wound up 🫶

You’ve got a good imagination, I’m not remotely wound up 🙄.

Okay 👌 then why are you replying and getting all defensive?

Shining a spotlight on the perceived failings of a parent is often an indicator that all is not well with the lighting technician's own parenting. Everything ok OP?

Seriously get a life OP. It’s none of your frigging business.

I don't know why people are having a pop at the OP - I'm sure I've seen posts on here moaning about the time people are knocking - 8.30pm/9pm, yet 11.20pm is perfectly fine and it's a good parent making an effort

If it was random houses, I'm sure it would be outrage if MNer posted someone came knocking with a young child past 11pm 😂