Thread: Question for those of you with young children.

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So here's my, "problem" if you can even call it one. My son is now old enough to trick or treat. I really want him to experience it. And I don't want to experience it without him at these young ages. I love watching my kid experience new things with a huge grin on his face. It's kind of like me reliving my childhood through him I guess you could say. Some of my most fond memories of Halloween was trick or treating with my friends. But at the same time, I really enjoy setting up my display (which isn't very elaborate, but I keep adding a bit more each year) and handing out candy to the kids.

Obviously you can't be in two places at once. What did you guys do? Did you take a break from setting up a display, did you and your spouse take "shifts" on taking your children out or something else? Last year, my mother in law filled in for my wife and I while we took our son out. But it was only four about 25 minutes and I was back home. The older he gets, the longer he is going to want to be out and about.

I have a 16 year old son and 5 year old twin girls. (yeah, we had a big gap. lol ) I would love to take my kids around TOTing but my wife isnt big into handing out and doing the haunt thing. This is how we do it. My wife takes the kids TOTing, I do the handing out and scaring. When the kids get back they tel me their stories with great enthusiasm. Its wonderful seeing that glimmer in their eyes and that to me is just as good as actually taking them around. This year my son wont be TOTing. He has "graduated" to helping me haunt. Hes excited to experience this part of Halloween now with me. He had his time with Mom doing the door to door thing. It will be the same with the girls. Im actually fine with this arrangment. It gives the kids a chance to have both sides of what we do with each parent.

This is a typical "problem", but untill they are a little older they probably wont be excited to help you with your haunt. What we did was let our girls go out with the neighborhood group while my wife and I stayed and did the haunt, and now, only 4 years later, the girls love to help us with our haunt and thats really fun for them. So in due time they will want to stay home, but there are a lot of options!! Good luck.

I dunno man. I think i am hating for the time to come where my son says he wants to go by himself.

You have brought up a great point here! I'm sitting here thinking about it and find myself in true shock... I have Never taken my kids out TOT'ing before... How sad!....

It just dawned on me thinking about your question/dilemma here... Wow, that is sooo crazy! I have truly never taken or experienced Halloween with the kids because I am always so wrapped up in my own Halloween fetish and handing out candy that I have totally missed this part of my kids childhood! Aw man , I feel like a fool now!

My wife and MIL have always taken my kids but I have never been there on this awesome occasion and tradition I have always loved so dearly. Wow I wish I could have at least taken them for a half hour or even if just on our street alone... Now they are older and do not want to trick or treat anymore as they put it to me last year. They would rather help me pass out candy and spook others which is cool but..... I wonder If I robbed them of this joy and they chose to leave it to spend time with me here at home??...

Wow, this has been an eye opener and hopefully I can one day go with them for the 1st time even if its in their late teens or even as young adults...

When the kids were little, one went with, the other handed out candy. After I got divorced, then I would take the youngest while my older kids handed out candy. Back then the haunt was more static. As the kids got older and could ToT themselves, the haunt got bigger. I always beleived you had to do both: ToT and hand out candy, so coordinate appropriately

i go out with our son because i could not miss seeing his face light up at each house. hubby stays home and make sure tot get their candy and nobody breaks anything! sometime my mom helps and sometimes his mom helps. its definitely a balance you have to do what works for you and your family. good luck!

I set up my stuff (mine isn't very elaborate either) and left a big bowl of candy on the porch. I know that's just asking to be teepeed by the kids who later show up to an empty bowl because it was all taken by one stingy kid, but it seems to work every year!

When my first and second were born, our neighborhood couldn't suck worse. (ONE ToT, seriously) So, I would take them out. When we moved, I began the haunt and my wife takes the kids.

But, what has happened is my oldest, at 10, decided to stay and help me out. My second, now 8, wants to do the same this year (but that might change before Halloween). Yes, I've never taken my youngest ToT, but at the same time, I'm spending more time with the older ones.

Similar to ter_ran, my husband and my FIL go out with the kids (13, 7, and 3). I honestly have never taken my 3 year old TOTing. The older two yes, but that was before I had a real single-family house to decorate.

I guess in that sense I'm a bit selfish. But, it's not like I'm making my kids stay home and miss TOTing - they just go with their dad.

They know how much mommy loves Halloween. I take them to get their costumes every year and I'm the one that gets them dressed the day of. I don't feel like I'm missing anything.