Before the kids go out on Halloween (or anytime!)

[Anonymous]

Did everyone here, as kids, have parents walk with them until they were in middle school when they went trick or treating?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check your neighborhood on the VSP Sex Offender Registry:

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.html


*** My current zip-code lists ten, while my childhood zip contains 76 !

Naw. This information isn't really that useful. For the following reason:

1) Sex offender =/= pedophile.
2) Most people on that would probably keep their lights off and avoid children.
3) Concentrates on the bigger risk (hit by a car, etc).
4) Don't most parents escort their kids?

Eww, who supervises their kids once they hit school age. So lame! You give out the candy. The kids go off in friend groups.

On Halloween I do and mine are 9 and 10! I walk with a group of other moms well behind them, but we still keep an eye on them and they don't mind (ages range from 8-12). Too many people wearing disguises when it is pitch black outside. My kids are allowed to go biking/playing around the neighborhood unsupervised with a group of friends and while there is daylight. But Halloween is a whole other thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check your neighborhood on the VSP Sex Offender Registry:

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.html


*** My current zip-code lists ten, while my childhood zip contains 76 !

Naw. This information isn't really that useful. For the following reason:

1) Sex offender =/= pedophile.
2) Most people on that would probably keep their lights off and avoid children.
3) Concentrates on the bigger risk (hit by a car, etc).
4) Don't most parents escort their kids?

Eww, who supervises their kids once they hit school age. So lame! You give out the candy. The kids go off in friend groups.

On Halloween I do and mine are 9 and 10! I walk with a group of other moms well behind them, but we still keep an eye on them and they don't mind (ages range from 8-12). Too many people wearing disguises when it is pitch black outside. My kids are allowed to go biking/playing around the neighborhood unsupervised with a group of friends and while there is daylight. But Halloween is a whole other thing.

I'd venture that they are probably a lot safer from "bad guys" on Halloween than most other times, given the sheer number of people out on the streets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School age includes ages 5-7. Are people really letting their 5 yr olds go trick or treating with other 5 yr olds with no adult/teenager supervision? That's nuts.

Last year my K daughter went with a big group of kid ages 5-9yrs old and yes, no one had a parent there. You go door to door getting candy. Kids that age know how to cross streets. What could possibly go wrong in your mind? We live in a close knit neighborhood, not SE DC.

The most annoying parents are the ones that leave their house dark so both of them can go off and walk with their 8yr old trick or treating. To me, that is nuts!

I don't live in a close-knit neighborhood. And yes, my kids do play outside without continuous adult supervision (one of us checks every 10 mins or so). They are playing within earshot and know not to go further. For trick or treating, they would need to travel much further and cross streets to get more than a few pieces of candy. Not an option for my 5 yr old. We always hang back a bit and never go to the door. He doesn't mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did everyone here, as kids, have parents walk with them until they were in middle school when they went trick or treating?

Yes, I did. My parents stayed at the sidewalk all through Elementary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I've been around the block (pun intended, sorry) and I can guarantee you that ALL the younger elementary set and MOST of the older elementary set are accompanied by adults. Middle schoolers are on the own. And yes, even a few high schoolers go trick and treating.

I don't know who these posters are - do they only trick and treat inside apartment buildings, or closed enclaves? - but they do not represent the reality on suburban/urban streets.

My child is in 4th grade and hasn't had a parent with them for 2 years, same with their friends. I guess we feel our neighborhood is safe. Don't any of your kids play outside, ride bikes or scooter without a parent around? If not, that is a sad childhood. And if so, what is the difference?

Don't play dumb. Children generally play outside DURING THE DAY. Halloween is AT NIGHT.
Nobody could care less about kidnappers, but car accidents are a very real danger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School age includes ages 5-7. Are people really letting their 5 yr olds go trick or treating with other 5 yr olds with no adult/teenager supervision? That's nuts.

Last year my K daughter went with a big group of kid ages 5-9yrs old and yes, no one had a parent there. You go door to door getting candy. Kids that age know how to cross streets. What could possibly go wrong in your mind? We live in a close knit neighborhood, not SE DC.

The most annoying parents are the ones that leave their house dark so both of them can go off and walk with their 8yr old trick or treating. To me, that is nuts!

Not to derail this discussion but I would not let my 5-year-old go trick or treating in a group without parents.

Agree

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did everyone here, as kids, have parents walk with them until they were in middle school when they went trick or treating?

Yes, I did. My parents stayed at the sidewalk all through Elementary.

Yes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:School age includes ages 5-7. Are people really letting their 5 yr olds go trick or treating with other 5 yr olds with no adult/teenager supervision? That's nuts.

Last year my K daughter went with a big group of kid ages 5-9yrs old and yes, no one had a parent there. You go door to door getting candy. Kids that age know how to cross streets. What could possibly go wrong in your mind? We live in a close knit neighborhood, not SE DC.

The most annoying parents are the ones that leave their house dark so both of them can go off and walk with their 8yr old trick or treating. To me, that is nuts!

Not to derail this discussion but I would not let my 5-year-old go trick or treating in a group without parents.

Agreed. My 5 and 7 year olds are definitely with an adult! We don't always go up to the door, but we stay at the curb and watch.

This. My kids are 8 & 10 now, and I keep them in sight. I don’t go to the door and I let them run ahead with friends, but they are certainly not out without me or another parent. We have a great group of neighborhood kids. Usually another parent or two ask me and a couple other parents to keep tabs on their kids. So 2-4 adults behind 5-10 kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I've been around the block (pun intended, sorry) and I can guarantee you that ALL the younger elementary set and MOST of the older elementary set are accompanied by adults. Middle schoolers are on the own. And yes, even a few high schoolers go trick and treating.

I don't know who these posters are - do they only trick and treat inside apartment buildings, or closed enclaves? - but they do not represent the reality on suburban/urban streets.

My child is in 4th grade and hasn't had a parent with them for 2 years, same with their friends. I guess we feel our neighborhood is safe. Don't any of your kids play outside, ride bikes or scooter without a parent around? If not, that is a sad childhood. And if so, what is the difference?

You let your kids play outside when it's pitch black? 'Cause I sure don't.

As a kid, I routinely played outside (including in a huge vacant lot near my house) and rode my bike in a several-block radius without my parents, and no, I was not allowed to trick-or-treat by myself in elementary school. A parent went with me. And a parent went with every single other kid trick-or-treating in my neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check your neighborhood on the VSP Sex Offender Registry:

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.html


*** My current zip-code lists ten, while my childhood zip contains 76 !

Naw. This information isn't really that useful. For the following reason:

1) Sex offender =/= pedophile.
2) Most people on that would probably keep their lights off and avoid children.
3) Concentrates on the bigger risk (hit by a car, etc).
4) Don't most parents escort their kids?

Eww, who supervises their kids once they hit school age. So lame! You give out the candy. The kids go off in friend groups.

On Halloween I do and mine are 9 and 10! I walk with a group of other moms well behind them, but we still keep an eye on them and they don't mind (ages range from 8-12). Too many people wearing disguises when it is pitch black outside. My kids are allowed to go biking/playing around the neighborhood unsupervised with a group of friends and while there is daylight. But Halloween is a whole other thing.

Please explain how Halloween is a whole other thing. I too let my kids go trick or treating. We live far back in a neighborhood and rarely get cars. I know everyone on my street. The kids go around the block and cup de sacs. So why is it a whole other thing than say letting your kids bike up to the local park? There are a ton of people everywhere, neighbors with doors open, cars driving slower, if any at all. Do you think there are people that will take them? I honestly don't understand the rationale here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most children who are abused or molested know their abuser. It is usually a parent, grandparent, step-parent, coach, teacher, etc. Very rarely are children abused by complete strangers.

Agree. These parents are paranoid as heck. Time to cut the umbilical cord.

[Hollybear]

I don't care if my kid doesn't want me around, as long as you're 7, I'm gonna follow you and your friends to your trick and treat routes.

I also have this scary thought of sex offenders. There are just so many insane people who would abuse even children. This happened to a friend of a friend so I'm only taking precautionary measures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check your neighborhood on the VSP Sex Offender Registry:

http://sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov/sor/index.html


*** My current zip-code lists ten, while my childhood zip contains 76 !

Naw. This information isn't really that useful. For the following reason:

1) Sex offender =/= pedophile.
2) Most people on that would probably keep their lights off and avoid children.
3) Concentrates on the bigger risk (hit by a car, etc).
4) Don't most parents escort their kids?

Eww, who supervises their kids once they hit school age. So lame! You give out the candy. The kids go off in friend groups.

On Halloween I do and mine are 9 and 10! I walk with a group of other moms well behind them, but we still keep an eye on them and they don't mind (ages range from 8-12). Too many people wearing disguises when it is pitch black outside. My kids are allowed to go biking/playing around the neighborhood unsupervised with a group of friends and while there is daylight. But Halloween is a whole other thing.

Please explain how Halloween is a whole other thing. I too let my kids go trick or treating. We live far back in a neighborhood and rarely get cars. I know everyone on my street. The kids go around the block and cup de sacs. So why is it a whole other thing than say letting your kids bike up to the local park? There are a ton of people everywhere, neighbors with doors open, cars driving slower, if any at all. Do you think there are people that will take them? I honestly don't understand the rationale here.

It's different because it's dark out. You might disagree that matters, but it's pretty silly to say you honestly don't understand the rationale. Kids are harder to see in the dark. You wouldn't know if there were strangers in the neighborhood (because it's dark and people are in costume). Kids get excited about candy and might not pay a lot of attention to making sure that the other kids in the group aren't lagging behind. Even a kid who knows the neighborhood might get disoriented, or scared. And even on Halloween, I enforce a reasonable (if later than normal) bedtime.

My parents were the opposite of helicopter parents, but they, and every other set of parents I knew, accompanied their children on Halloween. They usually waited on the sidewalk while we went up to the door, but sometimes they would come up and say hi to the neighbors and chat a little. One parent would stay home and hand out candy, and the other would shepherd the kids.

[Anonymous]

Hollybear wrote:I don't care if my kid doesn't want me around, as long as you're 7, I'm gonna follow you and your friends to your trick and treat routes.

I also have this scary thought of sex offenders. There are just so many insane people who would abuse even children. This happened to a friend of a friend so I'm only taking precautionary measures.

The child was abused on Halloween night because their parents weren't with them? Sorry, not buying that story.