What is the Halloween version of the Grinch? Me. Well, if you ask my teenagers, it’s me. Tommy hasn’t gone trick or treating for years, but suddenly he has started mumbling that trick or treating sounds like fun. It’s only mumbling though. He is happy with the long-standing deal that when you stop trick or treating, mom treats you with a bag of candy.
Sarah didn’t go out for the past two years because of school. This year, Halloween is on a Saturday and she is adamant that she will be trick or treating with her 17-y-o boyfriend. I am equally determined that my child who is old enough to work and drive is too old to knock on doors to beg for candy.
Noah is still my baby, but he is taller than me and he has a Gomez Addams mustache. The people handing out treats at Boo at the Zoo visibly disapproved of Noah’s trick or treating and he was scolded by one of them. I suggested to Noah that he is a good age to transition to Mom’s treat bag. Now, he walks around looking at me like I took Christmas away from him.
So, I have less than 24 hours to pull a rabbit out of my hat to make everyone happy. That hat looks mighty empty right now. It looks like this is going to be the year that mom ruined Halloween. Sometimes, being a mom is no fun at all.
There is no easy solution to this dilemma. My suggestion would be….to let them all go trick or treating. Since they had already planned to go trick or treating this year, they are upset that their Halloween plans have been ruined. Start working on your argument for them to stop trick or treating next year. You only get to be young once, so enjoy trick or treating while you still can!
Boo on that person who scolded Noah…..that was just totally rude!
Ralph wants to go this year – besides dragging my feet to get a mask out of storage for him, I really like your bag of candy idea….I think I’ll try that!
I stopped around 13 but it seems “kids today” continue on well into the teens. Not sure how we will cross this bridge either but I like the bag of candy idea. As far as the teens as long as they were in costue I never mind giving out candy I can stand the slacker kids who just walk around sans costume looking for candy..ya gotta try a little twerp
The cut-off was 6th grade in my family’s home when I was growing up. I thought answering the door was fun.