Trick-or-Treat Sans Parents?!
Is your child itching to go trick-or-treating with their friends… and NOT with you?! You know your kid best, for sure. But here are a few things to consider when deciding if your child is ready to trick-or-treat without you this Halloween.
1. Do they know their way around the neighborhood?
This one is pretty self-explanatory. It would be a Halloween nightmare for a kid to trick-or-treat themselves into being lost! Have a chat with your child about a trick-or-treat route they can follow this year so they have an idea of which direction they will go. Protective (ahem, smart) parents can keep an eye on their kids through apps like Life360 on Halloween night, just to make sure the evening stays on track.
2. Do they typically follow walking etiquette and know how to cross streets safely?
Drivers are typically on high alert if they are out and about during trick-or-treat hours. But that doesn’t mean kids should dart across the street without looking both ways. If your child is typically responsible and careful when they are on the sidewalk, they may be ready to take on trick-or-treating sans adult. It is wise to have a refresher course before they head out, and it is a good idea for kids to have a reflective element to their costume/treat bag or to carry a flashlight.
3. Who will be there?
Chat with your kid about the group they would like to trick-or-treat with and ponder if there are any problem children. No one wants to slap a “bad” label on a kid, but it is my opinion that political correctness goes out the window when you are trying to keep your kid safe. Yes, trouble absolutely seems to follow some kids, and if it is your child’s first year out trick-or-treating without you, it is okay to be choosy about the VIP list of kids your child can group up with.
4. Do they know what to do if trouble erupts?
Even “good” kids can go a little kookie when given a taste of independence. It is totally normal for kids to test the waters and toe the line of being naughty when their grown-ups are gone. BUT if being goofy turns into something that gives your kid the uh-oh feeling, how would they react? It is hard for kids to go against their friends- even if they have a strong moral compass. I wish I could give credit for this idea, but I can’t recall the first time I read about it… let your kids know they can text you a safe word and you will call them and tell them they have to come home right away. So if being silly turns into friends smashing pumpkins and tp’ing houses, your kid knows they can have a get out of jail free card in a sense if they just text you, you will be there, no questions asked. “Sorry guys, my mom is the worst, she called and said I have to go home.” As a mother, I have no problem being the “bad guy” if it is just masking me being my kids safe person.
5. Do they know the unspoken rules of trick-or-treating?
In the past, have they exhibited good behavior while trick-or-treating? Brush up on good behavior before they hit the pavement to get their candy loot…
+ Stay on the sidewalks
+ Walk facing traffic
+ Only trick-or-treat at houses with their lights on
+ “Trick-or-Treat” & “Thank You!”
+ If a sign says take 1, simply take ONE (Remind them that most houses have Ring cameras!)
+ Don’t go with strangers
+ Stay with your friends
+ Look both ways when crossing the street
+ Remind them they aren’t the only ones trying to have a nice night! Be polite humans and not little jerks. Conversation point: tell them to say “excuse us”, when their crew runs around families with little kids. Because spoiler alert, they won’t just walk house to house. They want maximum candy in minimum time. A giant hoard of pre-teens ambushing a sweet little family is a little rude, but if the tween crew announces they are passing up the family? Acceptable!
6. When is their curfew?
When trick-or-treating time is over, is your child to come straight home? Are they heading to a friends house? Make a plan! And definitely request that they try to wait until they get home to sort through their candy. They will undoubtedly sneak some, but you can at least try to put the request in to them.
Trick-or-treating without grown-ups in tow is a great way for tweens to gain confidence, build independence and navigate the world! Happy Halloween and congratulations on making it to this big milestone with your child.
