[dalgar]

OK. I get these kids every year. The obnoxious ones. You know the kind. The ones that come up and proudly exclaim I'm not afraid, and this is so lame. And the y end up kicking something or knocking something over on purpose.

Personally, I want to throttle the lil' buggers. If their parents are there I usually go over tell them politely, Do not bring lil' johnny back next year if he is going to behave this way.

Other than that, anyone have any suggestions on dealing with the lil' "darlin's" short of turning them over and giving them a spanking they so richly deserve?

It just drives me mad that some kids have no respect for things. I work hard on these haunts.

 

[Toetag]

People take this waaaaaay too personal. First they are kids and second we were all kids once also. Im not saying not to say something b/c i would like "HEY! pick that back up" But for the way they act you have to just tell yourself...They are kids what do you expect. We all were kids at one time and i will assure you anything but perfect. Throw candy and excitment into it and you have unstable dynamite

 

[dalgar]

Yeah you're right and I usually do.... guess I was just thinking about the huge hole a kid put in the crypt last year... lol anyway, I still have a blast.

 

[Toetag]

The truth is he might of just had to kick it to see if it was real stone. Maybe he was being mean i dunno but things like that can be fixed and its happens. i wouldnt dread on it b/c it might ruin your attitude come halloween night. Just smile like hell!

 

[Toetag]

Oh one more thing i have learned over the years. You dont want to make neighborhood kids mad. 4 angry kids bologna,4 cartons of eggs,hand soap,ping pong balls and TP can cause a nightmare! And all available in their homes lol

 

[the dogman]

You don't have to make the kids angry by telling them not do do something, and shrugging your shoulders saying "kids will be kids" may be alright for the curious kids but the intentionally destructive kids will keep it up.

You gotta look at the situation and what the kid is doing. If they are testing something to see if it is real then walk over and show them what it is and what it does.

If they are a snotty brat kicking holes in things because your house made him look like a wuss or he's just spiteful, then you can either explain to him the legal action you could take for destruction of property, or you could do what my family has done on occasion, and scare the life out of them, or an adult.

We have had few instances of vandalism and attempted theft because kids, teens and adults are terrified of our house and what may happen to them. We have never hurt anyone, simply scared them silly, and because of that kids keep their toes in line. They wont even consider eggs, tp or other forms of childish reactions, because our house scares them that badly.

Oh, another thing to keep in mind is the area you live in. If you have a number of delinquent activities in your area then their might be issues, but if there hasn't been any instances of bad behavior then you probably don't have much to worry about.

 

[maximpakt]

I just look them in the eyes and explain. Im almost 7 foot tall and drive a hearse, I can kill you and dispose of you and not even look suspicious doing it. No one has stepped up to test my theory yet.

 

[Landscapeman]

The last thing you want to do is make yourself a target. Those little bastards are just waiting for a reason to egg someones house. I just buy full size candy bars from Sams or BJs. If not you may have to put your foot up there parents asses. lol

 

[Otaku]

Agree with the previous poster - go after the parents, not the kids. I mean, stop the kids if they're trying to tear down or steal your hard work, but it's the parents who will understand the potential legal actions when you explain it to them (hopefully). I've watched kids tear up Halloween displays while their parents stood and watched, then the parents got pissed when someone tried to stop the little jerks.

 

[KY_haunter]

This is what I have found to work really well. I do most of my prop building outside in the front so people can see me, especially the neighborhood kids. When they ask about what I am doing I let them pitch in and help. There is always something easy they can make or help with.

Since they have worked on the haunt, they don't mess it up. Also, when they see a kid from another area messing with it they come tell me or stop the kid themselves. This has worked great.

Since I have moved the haunt to a local park, I sometimes build props there. Again I let people help out with the projects. In 3 years now, even at a public park, I haven't had anything damaged or taken. The kids and other adults who help me make, set-up, and participate in the haunt police things very well; since I can't be everywhere at once.

Getting the kids involved is the sure fire way to help keep your haunt safe. Not only that you are teaching them some valuable skills, improving their creativity, and keeping them from being bored/destructive all at once.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

This is what I have found to work really well. I do most of my prop building outside in the front so people can see me, especially the neighborhood kids. When they ask about what I am doing I let them pitch in and help. There is always something easy they can make or help with.

Since they have worked on the haunt, they don't mess it up. Also, when they see a kid from another area messing with it they come tell me or stop the kid themselves. This has worked great.

Since I have moved the haunt to a local park, I sometimes build props there. Again I let people help out with the projects. In 3 years now, even at a public park, I haven't had anything damaged or taken. The kids and other adults who help me make, set-up, and participate in the haunt police things very well; since I can't be everywhere at once.

Getting the kids involved is the sure fire way to help keep your haunt safe. Not only that you are teaching them some valuable skills, improving their creativity, and keeping them from being bored/destructive all at once.

I echo these sentiments.

A year or two back, I had a neighborhood troublemaker (across the street)make off with some of my equipment, and break some of my stuff. Our solution to the problem was to allow him to keep what he had stolen, and work it off by making new things for the yard.

Now driving, I overheard his friends last year saying they should come trash my yard while getting out of his car. His response: "No, that stuff is a lot of work".

 

[Nevarstar]

I havent had alot of problems with anyone messing with my props but some kids are gonna act like that and their parents just dont care or worse they egg them on. I think I do not have an issue because all my neighbors know I have guns in my house and that I know how to use them. (I just do not tell them I wont actually shot a kid for kicking a prop.)

The ideas everyone else stated are good. Maybe you can have a policeman in your area drive by more often on the night of the haunt. Sometimes just see one can keep people in line.

 

[kprimm]

There is absolutely no reason to have to put up with crap like this. I was a kid once also and i never ever went and destroyed someone elses stuff. Some people just need a good ol punch in the face.

 

[DaveintheGrave]

Great words of wisdom, KY Haunter.

 

[DeepSix]

​

I'm really thankful that I haven't encountered this problem, mind you it's been a Halloween dryspell up here. Kids are happy as hell just to see any decor. I was amazed last year when I took a break from candy duty and went for a walk, there was maybe one house every four blocks that had a decoration. When I was a kid if the place wasn't decorated, it meant that house wasn't participating, I guess that's different now.

​

I'm torn between the ideas of scaring the kids or the legal threats. Through my personal experience of being something of a shít disturber (mostly in school) legal threats always kept me on my toes. I may have looked like I wasn't intimidated, however I've never forgotten how uncomfortable it made me feel. My friends have shared similar experiences. What you have to do is be assertive, and look them in they eyes when you're addressing them. It's a lot like disciplining a dog, really.

 

[Sychoclown]

We have some annoying kids every year, and we threaten them with not being able to return or go in. Our neighborhood is contained so we know alot of the kids or their parents. We are lucky that we get the local police to hang around for awhile so that keeps the punks in check.

 

[TheEighthPlague]

Hang them in the basement by the feet, come next August they'll be ready for corpsing.

Muwahahaha!

Okay, so we've been pretty lucky about theft and vandalism though I set everything up the night before and am up till about 4 am doing it, so there's little time where it's left unattended.

I have had the "this house doesn't scare me!" kids before... the house may not have scared them, but I sure did! Sucker.

Have a camera. Keep a digital camera--with a flash--in your pocket. If someone is getting out of line, start taking pictures to document their actions. After the first picture, you can start describing the penalties for willful destruction of property, etc. Plus the flash in the dark will blind them, and keep them from doing much more. Just remember to close your eyes so you don't blind yourself.

Get yourself a SureFire G2 Nitrolon flashlight. That little bad boy is so bright, when you shine it in their face, that will be all they can see ... for a while. That, plus a no-nonsense authoritative voice (think State Patrolman) and most people get in line pretty quickly.

The main thing is, don't yell or whine, don't be a dick, but don't be pushed around, either.

 

[alucard]

Hang them in the basement by the feet, come next August they'll be ready for corpsing.

Muwahahaha!

Okay, so we've been pretty lucky about theft and vandalism though I set everything up the night before and am up till about 4 am doing it, so there's little time where it's left unattended.

I have had the "this house doesn't scare me!" kids before... the house may not have scared them, but I sure did! Sucker.

Have a camera. Keep a digital camera--with a flash--in your pocket. If someone is getting out of line, start taking pictures to document their actions. After the first picture, you can start describing the penalties for willful destruction of property, etc. Plus the flash in the dark will blind them, and keep them from doing much more. Just remember to close your eyes so you don't blind yourself.

Get yourself a SureFire G2 Nitrolon flashlight. That little bad boy is so bright, when you shine it in their face, that will be all they can see ... for a while. That, plus a no-nonsense authoritative voice (think State Patrolman) and most people get in line pretty quickly.

The main thing is, don't yell or whine, don't be a dick, but don't be pushed around, either.

I like your thinking.

 

[TK421]

I love my neighbors, and my neighbors love me. It's a good combination.

I think my favorite "bad kid" experience was last year when a neighbor and his son came by a few days before Halloween to take a peak. I was working in the front yard when they came up, and his eight year old son started looking around. No big deal, right?

While I'm talking to the dad, the kid starts looking through the graveyard and the tombstones. He gets to one of my crows and tries to take it off the tombstone. Fortunately, the tombstone and crow are both sturdy, so there was no danger of the boy hurting anything, but before I could even say anything, the dad shouted out,

"Mason, don't do that! If you hurt anything, this guy will make you into a prop!"

The kid stopped immediately, and I busted out laughing -- it was great.

 

[TK421]

I did have one potential vandal a few years ago, but he made such a fool of himself it was worth it.

Potential vandal: young teenage boy with no costume out for an evening of mischief hoping to "look cool" for his friends.

That year I had a graveyard with a small faux iron fence (that simple plastic garden fence). Well, one teenager thought it would be "fun" to run into the graveyard. I don't know what his motive was -- if he just wanted to be in the graveyard, or if he was going to try and hurt a tombstone -- but before he could get near the tombstones, he caught his foot on the fence and went face-first into the leaves and mud.

I would have heckled him, but his buddies where doing that for me. To top it all off, I gave them all boxes of raisins when they got to the front door!!

My personal revenge for people not in the spirit.