So, what's the modern day "rule" on aging out of Halloween?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s candy. Why do people care of the kid is 2 or 17, as long as they are behaving properly and the older kids are being respectful of the young ones. I would rather the teens trick or treat then TP the neighborhood.

100x this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 12 yo feels like she is too old to go. She will pass out the candy though and I'll buy extra for her to have at home. She never did the group Halloween thing though, so maybe that's part of it.

Hopefully that didn't interest her. My 11yr old always wants to find a group but ends up alone with either me or DH for various reasons. I feel badly for her. She has lots of random friends but no specific group in our neighborhood or BFF that would think of her and reach out to include her. I'm hoping she takes the initiative this year to ask around.

[Anonymous]

63
64 and over can get off my lawn!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saw someone post in in the Elementary forum that their 10 year old was "aging out of Halloween." I feel like 6th grade is sort of the limit for trick or treating, but my kids seems to have no sense of this, which I find sort of amusing and cringey. What was your experience?

In my experience many kids went out trick or treating all through middle school. I remember going out for my last year (in 1981) - in 9th grade.

[Anonymous]

In our neighborhood, the younger kids always come out on the early side, and then we get a sprinkling of middle schoolers and high schoolers in groups. As long as they are wearing costumes and being polite, I am very happy to hand out candy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s candy. Why do people care of the kid is 2 or 17, as long as they are behaving properly and the older kids are being respectful of the young ones. I would rather the teens trick or treat then TP the neighborhood.

I agree, it’s preferable to do the trick-or-treating before TPing the neighborhood. Who’s going to give you candy if you TP first?

[Anonymous]

Is this something people really care about? My 6th grader goes with her friends (and they were sad about missing it last year).

It's not about the candy, it's just a fun night running around.

I guess if you can't afford candy for all the kids maybe turn your lights out grinch.

[Anonymous]

I'll give candy to adults if they have a costume on. I really don't care. Who has time to be the Halloween age police? What a waste of mental energy.

[Anonymous]

My kids go ToT through high school. My current 16 ds loves that we go to his grandparents neighborhood over an hour away on Halloween so non of his classmates see him going out. The grandparents love seeing all of their grandkids going out together. The mostly older neighbors love seeing all of the kids dressed up and have fun guessing who's grand kids each group is. I love that for one evening it feels like we are back in the 1980s and the neighbors are all outside talking to each other. Win all around.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who shows up at my door and is polite gets candy.

People can be awful to middle schoolers. I get it. They can be idiots and stand around in groups and be loud and clueless. But they’re kids.

+1

Anyone who rings/knocks and says trick or treat gets candy.

I will not be stingy to older kids who are just out having what ultimately is wholesome fun. To the contrary, I would mich rather they be out trick or treating than off TPing, drinking in the woods, or any host of other things. Happy to reward that “good behavior”.

I have one kid who has always really liked giving out candy though and seeing the other kids and their costumes. Some kids are just more into it and others less so. And that is OK.

[Anonymous]

My kids all stopped by middle school (some sooner), but I'll give candy to anyone who shows up.

[Anonymous]

Anyone in costume. Mine stopped in 9th grade, which is probably older than average. Oldest used younger as excuse, younger one went with younger neighbors. It's kind of a shame that they felt they needed the younger kids so that people wouldn't say anything to them--which did happen. Some people suck.
I don't care if you're 3 or 30, wear a costume a costume and get some candy. It's supposed to be fun for everyone.

[Anonymous]

I do think there is such a thing as too young. I find it silly when couples walk around with their infants who are too young to walk, and too young for the candy. Just the infant, not with older siblings.

Give it a couple of years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am happy to give candy to any little kid (in costume or not) and any older kid in a costume. My then-8th grader trick or treated last year with no problems, although she probably will not this year.

My son similarly went in 8th grade and not in 9th.

[Anonymous]

Mine DS is 13. Hasn’t stopped yet and based on what I see in our neighborhood, probably won’t for several years. Halloween is a huge social event in our neighborhood. Kids and teens go in groups and adults gather for a drink at a few houses. It’s one of my favorite days of the year!