Every Halloween I watch car loads of kids get dropped off on my corner to go trick or treating. They are not from my neighborhood and some are teenagers and some are very rude.I have had obscene comments made to me by some of these kids. Unless I can get some ideas on how to give to the sweet children in my neighborhood and avoid these free loaders I am going to be forced to suspend all candy giving. I am a 66 year old grandma .
I love Heather's response, and we do something very similar to that. We just turn off our lights when it gets dark. Also, our church group has a trunk or treat, so we do get to see all the kids dressed up cute...I would definitely ask around and I sure you may find your neighbors agree. And, for sure, I agree about the teenagers thing! They should have their own party somewhere else. Trick-or-treating is for the little ones.
I don't know if I would have the guts to do it but a friend of mine went around her town the month of October and where ever she went she asked for job applications. So on Halloween night if anyone came to the door who looked too old instead of candy she handed them an application. I think its hilarious. I think some of the other suggestions might work as well :)
Best wishes
My dad believed that after age 12 you were too old to go trick-or-treat. He worked with the youth at that time and told any of the boys that if they stopped at his house he would give them charcoal briquettes. He wrapped charcoal in aluminum foil and gave them out. I don't know how well this would go over.
When I was a kid there was one house that just left a giant bowl of those little boxes of raisins on a chair on their porch. There were no lights on inside the house. There was a sign saying to only take one box. We never took more than one box and weren't thrilled to go by the raisin house.
Easy solution. Talk to the other people on your street and tell the parents that you'll be handing out candy early - say from 4-6 pm. Tell them that you'd love to see their kids when it's still light out. Then at 6 (or 7 or whenever you choose), turn off your porch light. That's the established signal that you're not giving out candy any more.
If you have candy left over because the kids didn't come early enough, then you can take it around the neighborhood the next day. Kids love that kind of surprise.
You can also put a note up on your door after the lights are out saying, "Sorry I missed you!" or something like that.
Parents won't mind at all doing it earlier - at least parents of younger kids. And most of the older kids go much later. You're under no obligation to provide candy to everyone.
i still went trick or treating in my early teens, knowing that some people would not be happy to give to me. but at that age i pushed everything i wanted to the limit. there were plenty of people who would just tell me, "sorry, i only give candy to the little kids," and i was respectful of their wishes. i know not all teens are respectful, but if they hear it enough, eventually they get the point that they are too old for it. i've also seen signs on doors such as "no trick or treaters over the age of __" or had the lights turned off as soon as my friends and i got to the porch. good luck! i hope they get the hint and respect your wishes!
Being that I was a rude & rebellious teenager myself, I would tell each one as I gave them their candy that I was proud of them for choosing to trick or treat vs. going to some party where they are doing things they shouldn't like drinking & drugs.
Yes, teenagers can be rude & obnoxious but give them a break. People tend to live up to others expectations.
