Well – I had NO idea that ‘tall kids’ going trick-or-treating was such a hot topic. Did you? I happened upon an article this morning, did some research and read a bunch more articles. Whew! This is really a hot thing! Who knew!

There are basically 3 different positions on trick or treaters –

1. ALL trick-or-treaters are welcome OR…
   
2. It’s ok if ‘tall kids’ go trick-or-treating but, at the very least they could have done, is wear a costume OR
   
3. Those ‘tall kids’ need to stay home. They have no business going trick-or-treating! They are NO longer kids.

Where do you fit in? Are you a 1, 2 or 3…or someplace in between?

Do you remember going trick-or-treating?

I certainly do. I think I was a bride for about 10 years. Then I was a scarecrow. One year I was 1/2 of a pair of dice (that one was rough – my arms stuck out the sides and I had no mobility). Now, back in the day, all costumes were hand made. And, they came from the imagination or from the costumes you saw the year before (is that cheating? 🙂

I also remember asking all my friends what they were going to be.  It was always exciting to find out….and to determine if their idea was better than mine!

I went out on Halloween night when I was in high school. We dressed up. Life was simpler then. It was ok to dress up. No one cared. Unfortunately, in today’s world…it is not ok to dress up as a high school kid. Just ask them.

(I also remember getting full size candy bars and filling up 2-3 pillow cases worth of candy….every year.  The dentist must have loved us all in January.)

Even as an adult, one of my favorite days is Halloween.  I especially love the trick-or-treaters.

From the little ones who are holding hands with their mom or dad, who can barely say trick-or-treat and who will never eat all that candy…ever.  And they always have the cutest costumes…picked out by their parents of course….

To the ‘bigger’ kids who swagger up with their ghoul or ballerina or Taylor Swift costumes.  Of course they picked out their costumes themselves. They have their pumpkin candy holder or bags and flashlights. They are in a group…and are having fun! And they are certainly ready for all that candy! And will probably eat most of it before school the next day.,,,

And then there are the ‘tall kids’.  The ones in middle school who are tall for their age.  Or the ones in high school who are just….tall.  Do you welcome those kids?  Do you see them as kids or as adults that should stay home and let the little ones enjoy the night?

Do you remember being one of those kids? 

You loved going trick-or-treating.  It was fun.  You loved the costumes too but now, because of peer pressure (costumes are SO uncool). Those ‘tall kids’ definitely can’t wear one unless they are prepared for all the teasing at school the next day. And, no one wants teasing,

 So, what do those kids do?  They put on half a costume.  Or a hat.  Or a wig.  Or, just wear their regular clothes, ring door bells, and hold out their plastic grocery bags. Because they are kids too….and love Halloween night.

What is your reaction?

Do you welcome them, ask them if they are coming as themselves, make a few jokes and gladly give them candy

 Or –

Are you offended that they put no effort into their costume and would like a little participation on their part – PLEASE! But, you give them candy anyway

 Or

 Do you give them a piece of your mind!  Tell them to go home because they have no business going out. ‘Tall kids’ have NO business going trick-or-treating. And they need to let the little (shorter) ones enjoy the night

Hmmmmm……be honest with yourself.
What do you think? What do you see?

 If it’s ok with you, I would like to hit pause for a minute –

I have no idea how old you are…but, what if someone said you ‘were an old coot’ and to go home.  Or, you were told that you were too old. Or looked too old. How would you feel? 

Have you ever seen an older person, in clothing better suited for a younger person, and say to yourself – ‘You need to start dressing your age.’ Or, you say to yourself ‘You need to act your age’.

I would like to find out who put an ‘age’ on all things and give them a piece of my mind! 🙂

(My mother-in-law used to say that she was a young girl in an old body.  She still loved all the same things as her youth….only her body betrayed her.)

So, back to those ‘tall kids’. 

 Maybe some of those ‘tall kids’ are only 10 or 12.  Is that too old to go out on Halloween night?

They still love going trick-or-treating.  They still love the costumes.  They definitely love candy. And, they love hanging out with their friends.

Why would you get mad at them for doing something that is fun. Harmless, and only costs you about 20 cents in candy? Really, why.do.you.even.care!

They aren’t throwing toilet paper on your yard, throwing tomatoes at your house or stealing your front porch furniture. They are collecting candy….and having fun with their friends.

And then you have the ‘tall kids’ who are in high school.

Who, if I am any judge of people, are still kids themselves. They still want to have fun. They know that adult hood is just around the corner and they want to hang onto their youth for as long as they can. I am sure you can relate to that! Don’t we all want to hold onto our youth as long as we can? My daughter says ‘adulting’ is very difficult,

I would like to end with this….

• ‘Tall kids’ are just that….tall.
• They are kids who have more peer pressure living in today’s society than you or I can even imagine.
• Let them be kids. Don’t judge their lack of costume.
• They are NOT adults.
• Give them candy….and let them have fun.

And, one more thing to think about – we have NO idea what their home life is like. Maybe this is a way for them to let loose and have fun….without judgement and condemnation from home.

I remember my ‘tall kids’.

My high school son would go out with his friends. They would start out in some sort of costume. One year, at the end of the night, they decided to strip down to their boxers and just run around the neighborhood (they weren’t trick-or-treating at that point.) Of course, as the mom, I did not find out about this until years later! And, it was like a 20º night! Kids!

Give them candy. Smile. Enjoy ALL the kids. Treat those kids just like you would like to be treated when you become an ‘old kid’ someday.