October 2018 - EASTERN OREGON PARENT - 5
Halloween options for those too old to trick-or-treat
By JENNIFER COLTON
How old is too old for trick-or-
treating?
If you aren’t sure, you’re not
alone: a Google search brings up
more than 101 million results work-
ing to answer that same question.
Most surveys seem to put the
cut-off age for trick-or-treating be-
tween 14 and 16, but hitting an age
cap doesn’t mean your kids have to
forego the festive fun.
Here are a just a few ideas of
how your teen or tween can cel-
ebrate Halloween:
The trick-or-treat chaperone:
Let’s get the loophole of the way.
If your teen or tween has younger
siblings, consider letting the old-
est be the chaperone who escorts
the younger kids trick-or-treating.
For those who are afraid they may
be too old but still want to trick-
Strategies
or-treat, this can be a great bridge
while helping develop responsibil-
ity.
Door-to-door food drives: On
a night most people are expecting
their doorbells to ring, it can be
a great time to send your teen in
HEATHER A. BACON, PH.D. &
JENNIFER K. COOPER, PSY.D
Licensed Clinical Psychologists
Helping parents discover new ways to shape
behavior and reconnect with children.
Currently accepting new patients.
Most insurance and private pay accepted.
860 W. Elm Ave., Suite 204, Hermiston, OR 97838
541-289-7777 • hermistonpsych.com
search of nonperishable food dona-
tions instead of candy. Food drives
give the fun of going door-to-door
and dressing up while doing good
for the community. Contact local
food pantries and organizations
to find out if any have organized
drives already set up and get the
go-ahead before the holiday.
Visit another Halloween loca-
tion: Many area corn mazes are
open on Halloween and offer a way
for teens and tweens to celebrate
the holiday on Oct. 31 without go-
ing door-to-door.
Volunteer to hand out candy:
Churches, schools, hospitals and
nursing homes all hand out candy
on Oct. 31 and few complain about
having too many volunteers to help
decorate, clean up, or dole out the
sweets. Small communities offer
Halloween parties or festivals, and
Hermiston and Pendleton each offer
large Halloween events downtown
and beyond (at the Hermiston
Community Center and Pendleton
Convention Center) that include
carnival games for younger children.
Help your teen or tween contact the
organizers of one of the events and
see if they’re looking for volunteers.
Halloween parties: Many teens
(and adults) still love dressing up
in Halloween costumes, regardless
of their age. Hosting or attending
a Halloween party lets teens and
tweens dress up, eat treats and
celebrate the holiday without feel-
ing like they’re hanging out with
younger kids. If your teen or tween
is attending a party you aren’t
hosting, make sure the event is
safe, chaperoned and age-appro-
priate.
Stay home: Staying home is
always an option for teens and
tweens, and it’s not hard to find
spooky activities to keep the
atmosphere alive (or dead, if you
prefer). Teens and tweens can host
a party at home, plan a murder
mystery, have a pumpkin decorat-
ing contest or simply watch spooky
movies – bonus points for mara-
thons.
Go trick-or-treating anyway: If
your tween or teen is willing and
respectful, they may find many
people willing to still hand out
candy and strike up a conversation.
Until a child turns 18, they’re still
a child and maybe – just maybe –
they’re still allowed to go trick-or-
treating. If your teen is going trick-
or-treating, a good rule of thumb
is to make sure their costume
isn’t too scary – you don’t want to
make younger kids uncomfortable
while they’re enjoying the holiday.
________
Jennifer Colton is news director of
KOHU and KQFM, and mother of
three, based in Pendleton.