Trick-or-Treating, It’s Not For Everyone!

October 1st, 2008 | Article by Cassidy Layne | Culture and Society, Environment, Family, Pets and Animals, Recreation and Leisure |

Article about: CHILDREN, Halloween candy, pets, Trick or Treating

Once a year, every year, at the end of October, we celebrate Halloween. Even as adults, we sometimes get dressed up, head out to parties, or go trick-or-treating. Trick-or-treating, the tradition of walking from door-to-door asking for a trick or treat in hopes of getting a treat (let’s face it, no child really wants a trick, they want candy) is an age-old national tradition that many people participate in.

Trick-or-treating is not for everyone. Whether you are a parent or other adult or just a child care giver, if you are considering taking a child to trick or treat, there are some basic considerations to make:

Make sure your child is not afraid of ghost, goblins, witches, etc. Many adults who give out candy also dress up and decorate their homes. Small children can be traumatized by the realistic-looking costumes, music, and decorations and should not be taken to such homes.
Children who suffer from various disorders should not be taken trick-or-treating. This is not to suggest that because a child has a disorder they are not entitled to go but more so gives extra care and concern to the possible trauma that such a child can experience.
Certain pets should not be taken trick-or-treating either. Pets that are not comfortable with strangers, aggressive pets and pets that are very small and could be injured.

If you do take your child or pet trick-or-treating, be sure to carefully examine all of the goodies they receive. Discard anything that is opened or poorly packaged. It is better to be safe than sorry. Some police offer this service free of charge so check with your local authorities.

Additionally, if weather is inclement or you would rather not have your child go door-to-door for treats, consider having a Halloween party at home and invite over a few of your child’s friends to add more fun to the festivities. If a Halloween party at home sounds like too much trouble, consider taking your child to the local mall. Many stores offer candy on Halloween for children who are dressed in costumes. It’s a safe way to go from store to store and avoid the cold weather and to save on gas.

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