Even at 12 I found trick or treating was still a function of what the parents were willing to do or not. Most of the time they just want to stay close to home or send their kid with siblings. Others are willing to host or take their kids somewhere.

For the OP is your are near Alexandria - Lee St is fun to do - i lots of people are out and you feel like you are part of the crowd. People go all out with decorations and candy.

I wish you had reached out to neighbors or friends beforehand to make sure he had a plan. Maybe try if it is not too late.

I like offering to go to the movies, or maybe top golf or bowling too.

My kids decided not to do trick or treating this year. I don’t necessarily want them eating candy a bunch of people have touched. So I purchased all their favorite candy and we will do pizza, popcorn and scary movie night at home.

Anonymous wrote:He won’t die. What’s wrong with staying at home and doing schoolwork?

Go away

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 10 and 12 yr old (And 5 yr old) are going trick or treating with me. Isn’t this what most kids do? What kind of plans is he supposed to have?

They at least have each other. But the orders would rather be with their friends.

They seem fine with going with their siblings and that is what most of the neighborhood does as well. They have fun, gorge on candy, and chit chat with people we see along the way.

How old is he?


He’s 12.
Other PP, no, he won’t die, but he’s sad and having no friends is hard. It’s especially hard on days like Halloween, when kids his age are having a good time with their friends, wearing costumes, and gorging on candy.

I view the Halloween issue as sort of separate from the issue of friends. My 12 year old son does have friends (not a ton, but a few), and many of them are not choosing to go trick or treating or do anything for Halloween this year. My son does not want to.

Our block has an outdoor get together with adults and kids, and he will do that with me for like 30 minutes, and then we will watch TV and give out candy to trick or treaters.

I think the larger issue is your child's need to meet new people. Has he joined clubs at his school? Is there anyone he would like to invite over to play video games?

13 yo DS never really enjoyed Halloween. For the past few years DH and DS “tailgated” in the driveway. He brings the grill there and they cook out, listen to music, eat grilled food and lots of candy and hand out candy to anyone that comes by. They have a nice night. I go out ToT with the younger kids.

Anonymous wrote:My kid started handing out candy at that age. I made sure we had plenty of his favorites to eat too.

+1 I make sure there is a lot of leftover candy.

Where do you live, OP? We were in the same situation. My son is also 12. I reached out to a couple of moms on the block, explained the situation, and asked whether my son could simply join in with their kids’ group. We got two offers. He may not be able to fold right in with them at the beginning but it beats going out alone. He is okay with just going out with us, too.

My kid started handing out candy at that age. I made sure we had plenty of his favorites to eat too.

Anonymous wrote:My 10 and 12 yr old (And 5 yr old) are going trick or treating with me. Isn’t this what most kids do? What kind of plans is he supposed to have?

My kids are 11 and 14 and they are each going with a group friends on their own (group of 4 and group of 6). Last year my two went together with some of the older ones friends and their little sister, normally they avoid siblings like the plague but covid kinda reduced their options.

I can’t remember the last time mine went just the siblings, but we haven’t just moved here like OP and I’ve always been social with other parents.

How about one of those big $$$ haunted houses?

Do you have any friends with kids? Maybe he’d like playing big brother and taking some younger kids around the neighborhood?

Anonymous wrote:On years when they don’t have plans, I take our teens to a movie and let them buy their own bag of candy.

+1

Good mom, you are!

Markoffs Haunted Forest by Poolesville!

My kid went tonight andlhe & his friends came from Bethesda, and he said it was definitely worth the drive... he loved it!

Sorry for the long link (below) but rather than just give you their website, the google link below shows you much, much more about it (rather than if you just went to their site).

There's a YouTube video showing what its like, there are real google reviews, a link to the Facebook page, etc, etc, etc.


https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tFP1zcsKDAqyzJLrzJgtFI1qLCwTDIzMja3NE6ySDZJM0ixMqgwTkw2tjAxMTaysDA0STJO9hLPTSzKzk9LK1bISCzNK0lNUUjLL0otLgEAcMoX3g&q=markoffs+haunted+forest&oq=marko&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46i131i175i199i433i512j46i512j46i433j0i512j46i175i199i512j0i433i512.2977j0j9&client=ms-android-att-us&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8


Their website.
https://www.markoffshauntedforest.com/

Watch a scary (for him) movie with you?