Some may ask, “Are teenagers too old to Trick or Treat on Halloween??” and the answers vary. In years past, some may have said  yes, but when I posted this on Instagram recently, the discussion is a resounding NO! Here are my thoughts:

In 2017, the town of Bathurst, N.B. (Canada) constituted a law banning anyone over 16 from trick-or-treating. The penalty for breaking this law? A $200 fine.

The challenge is that teenagers exist in a world where they are not really children, but not quite adults. Shaming teens for trying to prolong a fun and harmless childhood tradition seems pretty unreasonable.

Childhood goes by so quickly. Many will lament how their children grow too fast, while also shaking a finger at teens looking to hang on to the magic of Halloween for one more year.

You may think they barely put together a costume, or arrive later than their younger counterparts, but seems like you can still give them some candy, maybe even two.

Teens walking the neighborhood collecting candy sure beats the alternatives. Don’t make the teens that come your way feel even more out of place than they already feel at this stage, being a teenager is hard enough.

This year, when you see teens out trick-or-treating, make sure you give them a smile, compliment them on their costume, (even if they don’t have one) and tell them you’re glad they came.

*snippets gleaned from @todaysparent article