Another Halloween has come and gone. Two traditions that I still enjoy are giving out treats at the door and walking around the neighborhood so the kids can get the biggest sugar fix of the year. I am not complaining; I used to love to trick or treat and what’s one day a year? The costumes and the treats make it almost as much fun as Christmas or birthdays.
Things have certainly evolved over the years. Costumes are more elaborate, treats are scrutinized by parents to make sure they are safe, local malls offer indoor treats and overall less people participate in the old fashion methods. Many people leave home or turn off all lights so they will not be bothered, or in some cases, they are even in fear of who might knock on the door. I have no problem with any of this. It is certainly a person’s choice, and I respect their decision. However, I have one big issue. When did it become popular to drive kids house to house?
This bothers me mostly in two areas, DANGER being the main one. I think trick or treating is for pedestrians, especially little ones. We should all be able to walk, or even zigzag back and forth across the street to hit the houses that choose to participate. When you have a traffic jam because cars are trying to maneuver down the avenue, stopping to let their kids out 10 or more times each block, it makes the whole activity a bit crazy. If for some good reason trick or treating needs to start out at a place other than home, why not park at your destination and walk house to house to eliminate potential accidents like hands getting slammed in doors, and worse yet, someone getting run over. And what about seat belts? That must be a pain in the butt! As a parent who deals with getting kids in and out of a car on a daily basis, I personally would not want to manipulate all that while making sure I do not hit a pedestrian. And remember…this is all when it is dark outside.
The other issue can be summed up with one word: LAZINESS! We live in a world where everything has to be convenient, I guess even if it is at someone’s expense. If our kids are going to get rewarded with 6000 grams of sugar over the next 10 days, why not make them walk for it? We all complain that they might not move enough, so why not make Halloween a “getting to know the neighborhood better” event? That walk won’t hurt us parents either. The idea that they can get as much candy as possible without using their muscles or braving the elements a bit just seems wrong. If everyone walks, it might even mean less candy because they tire out quicker.
Maybe there are a few good reasons why driving would be the only answer. If you have one, please let me know. For the most part, I certainly hope we can get back to the old fashioned trick or treating I knew as a kid.
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