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When can a kid trick-or-treat without adults?

When can a kid trick-or-treat without adults?

  • Never

  • 6-7yo

  • 8-9yo

  • 10-11yo

  • 12-13yo

  • 14+yo

Results are only viewable after voting.
DougK62

DougK62

Diamond Member
The local morning radio talk show asked this question and was taking calls from people about it. As you might expect, the great majority of calls were from women who were aghast at the idea of children EVER trick-or-treating with a group of friends instead of trusted adults. The reasoning from all of them was, of course, that there are so many more "weirdos" these days and basically their children are not safe anywhere.

So what does ATOT think? Personally, I started trick-or-treating with my brothers and a group of our friends when we were about 10, and I think my parents made the right choice letting us do that.
 
Depending on how you view the holiday, if they are old to not need adults, they are old enough to not need Halloween.
Also the 14+ category seems silly to me. By that age most kids have already been baby sitters or some such thing.
 
They can be any age to trick or treat alone at my place. I'm a nice man with the best candy.
 
There aren't any more weirdos today. You just have a lot more information available, so you hear about the weirdos more often.

I can't remember ever having the parents along when trick or treating. We walked far away from home too. In flammable costumes...that we couldn't see well out of...with realistic toy guns or knives...

The parents checked out the candy when we got back, but we had already eaten some, of course.

Besides, mischief night was way more fun.
 
My oldest is 10 (turns 11 next month), and this is the first year he's going out by himself (with friends). He could have probably gone last year alone too, though I like going with him. In fact, I'm a little sad that this is the first year I don't get to go with him! 🙁
 
Back when I was trick or treating our parents never went with us. 6-7 years old went with my older brother, my friends and his friends, 8 years old on with my friends only.
 
Probably depends on where you live. I don't live in the ghetto so if I had kids, I would let them go out whenever they were old enough to ask. "Hey daddy, my friends are all going can I?"

"Be back by dark"

voted 10-11
 
For kids, the risk of being hit by a car is astronomically higher than meeting "some weirdo", so the appropriate age depends on how heavy traffic is.

In my neighbourhood, the kids go in groups, and they range from ages about 3 to 13.
 
I have a 10 yr old and 8 yr old and I'm still going out with both tonight. Realistically, since my 10 yr old is in 5th grade, this is probably the last year he'll go trick or treating. That activity is meant more for kids, and he's not a kid any more.

So, in answer to your question, never. I can't stand 14-15 yr olds who come to my door wanting candy. This holiday is not meant for people of that age.
 
I'd think that a kid in 3rd grade should be able to handle walking around with a group of their friends, so 8 years old. Probably 7.

14+??? Too old to go trick-or-treating (imho), although, there are probably quite a few forum members here who will be going out trick-or-treating tonight. (No call-outs though.)
 
Are they old enough to ride a bike in the area without you? Old enough to walk to a friends house? Old enough to play outside without you?

Old enough to walk around the block collecting candy. Especially now that Trick or Treat is done done during day light.
 
runzwithsizorz said:
Around here, there is a city ordinance against anyone over 12, and after 8:00pm. Don't know how, or if they enforce it though.
Hey you, mister super hero guy, got some ID?
Click to expand...

Last year, we had "kids" who had to be in high school who came by our house. I think I'll card them this year.
 
AMDZen said:
Probably depends on where you live. I don't live in the ghetto so if I had kids, I would let them go out whenever they were old enough to ask. "Hey daddy, my friends are all going can I?"

"Be back by dark"

voted 10-11
Click to expand...
This.

No way in hell my dad would've allowed me to go out by myself in Detroit. Now if we lived in a nice neighborhood I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He trusted me but he didn't trust all the people in the halfway houses near us.

EDIT: Also with Detroit being a war zone on Devil's Night just added to him not allowing us to go out alone.

IndyColtsFan said:
Last year, we had "kids" who had to be in high school who came by our house. I think I'll card them this year.
Click to expand...
I would give them candy but I would also expect them to put a little bit more effort into their costumes.
 
Last edited:
Hmmm... I'm trying to remember when I started going by myself. Must have been around when I was 9-10 at the latest. Damn fuzzy memory...
 
DougK62 said:
The reasoning from all of them was, of course, that there are so many more "weirdos" these days and basically their children are not safe anywhere.
Click to expand...

These people are idiots. I'm really glad that trick-or-treating still exists, and that there are at least some people out there who still let their kids go out unattended. It's a sign that we haven't completely lost our sanity as a culture.

We live in a "can't" culture of parenting. You can't do that, you'll get hurt. You can't do that, it's dangerous. Meanwhile kids have been doing *stuff* for tens of thousands of years that was "dangerous" and yet we're still here. Suddenly the children are not capable of doing anything for themselves.
 
shortylickens said:
Also the 14+ category seems silly to me. By that age most kids have already been baby sitters or some such thing.
Click to expand...

extras-3.jpg


At least this 14 yrs. old is trying hard to make "singing" a viable career. :biggrin:

Voted 10-11 yr. old T-or-T by themselves (with friends) in a good neighborhood. :awe:
 
Times certainly change. I think parents can go out with their kids while not 'holding their hands.' Kids get to run around in groups and parents talk on the sidewalk. I think 6 or 7 is fine if the kid is up for it and is limited to say, a two block area where you know the people. Of course, these days, I realize most of you don't even know your next door neighbors. I guess that's why the evil one created malls.
 
In this day and age, never. Too many sick fucks out there and I love my children too much to not go out with them because I'm feeling lazy.
 
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