Many kids all over the United States start to get really, really excited when October rolls around. Not only does the month typically mean lower temperatures nearly everywhere, it also means one really great holiday is coming: Halloween!
As many of us know, Halloween is a time of mischief, costumes, and trick-or-treating. But unfortunately, one question seems to be asked over and over again each year: Are teenagers too old to trick-or-treat?
My answer? A resounding no. After all, teens love candy and hijinks as much as the rest of us. Here are five reasons why teens should be able to trick-or-treat and the rest of us should just sit back and enjoy it.
They are still kids, too.
Sure, teenagers are usually taller, smelly gremlins, but they're your tall, smelly gremlins. Your teen is just an older version of the same little kid who was delighted when you made your own dinosaur costumes, or who insisted all month he would be a dog and then changed it up last minute and wanted to be Superman instead. Despite outward appearances, teens are still children. Let them have this.
It might keep them out of trouble.
A lot of us know it's a big, giant world out there — and we aren't always eager for our teens to run out and explore every part of it. Allowing, or even encouraging, your teen to participate in the sweeter side of Halloween might just keep them from branching out into parts of holiday merrymaking that they aren't ready for yet.
It will make them happy.
This is actually the most important reason of all to me: Like the rest of us, teens have to deal with a lot. What's so bad about letting them shed the weight of impending adulthood and indulge their inner child? Absolutely nothing.
Taking their siblings could be a fun bonding moment.
If your teen has younger siblings, suggest that the teen be in charge of everyone's trick-or-treating this year while you stay home and hand out candy. This will give your teen a boost, since it will be clear that you trust them with a pretty important task, and it'll be a fun chance for your younger kids to bond with an older sibling.
Halloween is all about creative expression.
Finally, a great reason to let teens trick-or-treat is that even if they're the kind of kid who is typically shy about putting on costumes or even being around groups of people, Halloween has a fun way of evening the playing field. Your teen can get as creative as they want with their Halloween costume, and unlike school, where there's probably a dress code, no one will say a thing.
