Apparently I'm very old-school RE: ToTing

[blondeviolin]

We took the kids last night and I kept seeing kids who would run up to a door, ring the bell, "Trick or treat!" and then collect candy. When they were finished, they'd run back to a car so their parents could drive them to the next house, whether next door or two doors down. :001_huh: We live in a modest neighborhood with about 66% of lights being on. It was high 60s/low 70s here last night, so it wasn't too cold.

 

Am I the only one that sees this as really lazy?!

[justLisa]

LOL. It was 50 degrees last night. We walk as a large group of a couple dozen kids/parents. Each kid says trick or treat, thank you, happy Halloween. We walked about a mile total. Everyone knows everyone for the most part and we have two huge loops. I think it's kind of funny when people drive but I guess they have their reasoning

[crazyforlatin]

Was it difficult to find parking? DD would be really upset with that kind of TOTing. Part of the fun is to walk from house to house, looking at decorations, looking at other kids.

 

I mean, if the houses were really far apart, then I suppose parents would have to do that.

 

It rained last night, but we still walked.

[happypamama]

LOL, my kids and DH walked a lot last night! Easily a mile or more.

 

(The baby and I stayed home -- too cold and damp and raw for us.)

[lmrich]

My son handed out candy last night and wanted to put a slip of paper in the kids' bags that read, "tell your parents to get out of the car and walk with you!" I told him that was to rude. But man, I can not stand that. As an adult we still have fun walking the kids around and socializing with each other.

[AndyJoy]

I would have hated that as a kid! I hate getting in and out of the car over and over again; that's what burns me out when shopping at garage sales. If it was rainy, my dad would sometimes troll along in the car to chaperone us rather than walking with us, but we ran between houses and only got in the car at the end.

[catz]

YES! Adults and kids walked for at least an hour and 1/2 solid here.

 

However, if you live in an area of sparse houses, no sidewalks, and busy roads, I could see it.

[crazyforlatin]

Not to mention having the child buckle, rebuckle in one of those Britax car seats. No thanks, walking please.

[kitten18]

We took the kids last night and I kept seeing kids who would run up to a door, ring the bell, "Trick or treat!" and then collect candy. When they were finished, they'd run back to a car so their parents could drive them to the next house, whether next door or two doors down. :001_huh: We live in a modest neighborhood with about 66% of lights being on. It was high 60s/low 70s here last night, so it wasn't too cold.

 

Am I the only one that sees this as really lazy?!

:001_huh: That is odd.

 

We didn't see anyone TOTing out of cars, eveyone was walking. There are so many kids out here that I think people avoid driving in the neighborhoods if at all possible.

[LittleIzumi]

We walked together and so did our friends.

[Mommyof4ks]

That was the way it was in my neighborhood lat night too, and the weather was perfect. It was very dangerous out there for those of us walking from house to house. Lots of lazy people for sure.

[ChristineW]

A few cars when we were trick or treating, but none of the hopping from house to car to house. We trick or treat in a flat subdivision though; it would be silly to hop in the car for the ten feet to the next home. Two years ago, we rented a house in a popular ToT neighborhood and the police blocked off the road for three blocks from 6-9 PM. That was a ton of fun.

 

Christine

[BigMamaBird]

It was low 40's and drizzly here last night. My Dh and two of his friends took 8 kids out. They walked our entire neighborhood which is slightly more than a mile around and some mega hills and dense forest. It's amazing what kids will do when motivated by candy!

[Soror]

Last year we walked, this year we rode. I'm 37 weeks pregnant, I wasn't up to it. I don't feel guilty.

Edited November 1, 2012 by soror

[Arcadia]

We didn't see a lot of kids out last night but it look like it was going to rain. Mall trick or treat ended by 7pm and my kids fell asleep in the car on the way home.

 

No one was doing ToT from cars though, it would have been difficult to drive or find parking. Besides parents were busy walking and taking photos.

[southernm]

You can think it is lazy if you want to but we did it towards the end of the night. I drove the minivan with the door open and the kids hopped in and out between houses. It was about 35 and raining. I don't see the big deal. :glare:

[J-rap]

I've seen this more and more the past few years. I think parents don't want their kids walking up and down every block anymore, to homes they don't know. Instead, they'll drive to a neighborhood where they know a few families, get in the car, drive a mile to another neighborhood where they know a few families, etc.

 

Also, I think less homes participate in passing out candy. In certain neighborhoods, there are lots of lights on still, but in other neighborhoods, most of the homes are dark. They're usually home, but that's a sign that they're not participating.

 

Given that, I guess some parents think it makes more sense to have a car handy.

[Melinda in VT]

Around here, the towns that can close their streets to cars, so you'd fit right in. Walking is a huge part of the fun.

 

Our town is one where the main street is also a state highway, so we can't close it to traffic, but I didn't seen anyone trick-or-treating from a car.

[Melinda in VT]

Oh, and weather has nothing to do with it. We've trick-or-treated in falling snow before. Everyone still walks.

[blondeviolin]

You can think it is lazy if you want to but we did it towards the end of the night. I drove the minivan with the door open and the kids hopped in and out between houses. It was about 35 and raining. I don't see the big deal. :glare:

 

It would have made a lot more sense if it was 35 and raining. It was not here at all. The weather was great. I can understand if you're driving from one neighborhood to the next.

 

But...

 

These kids weren't even walking from one house to the one right next door!

[ocelotmom]

It baffles me, because it seems like more work than just doing the walking.

 

(Or rather, doing it between *every single house* when the houses are right next door to eachother seems like more work than just walking. I can understand if there is bad weather and long separations between participating houses.)

Edited November 1, 2012 by ocelotmom

[swellmomma]

We took the kids last night and I kept seeing kids who would run up to a door, ring the bell, "Trick or treat!" and then collect candy. When they were finished, they'd run back to a car so their parents could drive them to the next house, whether next door or two doors down. :001_huh: We live in a modest neighborhood with about 66% of lights being on. It was high 60s/low 70s here last night, so it wasn't too cold.

 

Am I the only one that sees this as really lazy?!

 

I was that parent in a car last night. It was -11C last night, it's been worse. But I have health issues that prevent me from walking too far right now. So I was in my car. The kids would go together and do a group of houses together and then jump in. My youngest only did a handful and then stayed with me in the car. I don't care if someone thought I was lazy last night. I have walked the kids TorTing for the 13 years previous, this year I couldn't. Oh well.

 

I used to think the same thing about those parents until my health issues came up. I no longer do because you don't know if they are facing issues like me and simply can't walk for any length of time.

[Soror]

Around here with the number of people participating you have to cover a pretty large area to hit very many houses- and that was in a good t'ot'ing area.

[justLisa]

I was that parent in a car last night. It was -11C last night, it's been worse. But I have health issues that prevent me from walking too far right now. So I was in my car. The kids would go together and do a group of houses together and then jump in. My youngest only did a handful and then stayed with me in the car. I don't care if someone thought I was lazy last night. I have walked the kids TorTing for the 13 years previous, this year I couldn't. Oh well.

 

I used to think the same thing about those parents until my health issues came up. I no longer do because you don't know if they are facing issues like me and simply can't walk for any length of time.

 

This would fall under my statement that I can imagine people have their reasonings. I do know of a family that doesn't live in a friendly area, so they drive their kids to a huge development and park every street.

[Remudamom]

I went ToTing with dh's extended family last night. A lot of them are extremely overweight and walking was not an option. We were a parade. The grandma rode in a sort of atv vehicle with her son, the grandpa and new wife rode in a atv vehicle that pulled an open flat trailer set up with a sofa for some parents to sit on and ride and I led the pony wagon. Some of the parents walked with the kids, some of the kids walked and the very littlest insisted on sitting in the pony wagon whether or not she got any candy.

[mommymilkies]

I always see it quite a lot. But it was about 30 last night when we went ToT. We walked at least 1.5 miles, but we are a walking kind of family. If my LO was younger or it was colder, we would have driven more.

[MooCow]

I was that parent in a car last night. It was -11C last night, it's been worse. But I have health issues that prevent me from walking too far right now. So I was in my car. The kids would go together and do a group of houses together and then jump in. My youngest only did a handful and then stayed with me in the car. I don't care if someone thought I was lazy last night. I have walked the kids TorTing for the 13 years previous, this year I couldn't. Oh well.

 

I used to think the same thing about those parents until my health issues came up. I no longer do because you don't know if they are facing issues like me and simply can't walk for any length of time.

 

Good point. My neighbors and I were wondering why there were parents driving while their kids walked. We thought they were being lazy. :blush:

[extendedforecast]

With two little ones I wish we would have taken our car. The loop around the block is a lot longer than I realized. Halfway through trick or treating, the baby (she's two, but still a baby to me) grew tired of riding in the wagon, so I ended up carrying her (37 pounds) most of the rest of the way back home.

I suppose those who took their kids via car had good reason.

[blondeviolin]

I was that parent in a car last night. It was -11C last night, it's been worse. But I have health issues that prevent me from walking too far right now. So I was in my car. The kids would go together and do a group of houses together and then jump in. My youngest only did a handful and then stayed with me in the car. I don't care if someone thought I was lazy last night. I have walked the kids TorTing for the 13 years previous, this year I couldn't. Oh well.

 

I used to think the same thing about those parents until my health issues came up. I no longer do because you don't know if they are facing issues like me and simply can't walk for any length of time.

 

But did your kids get back in the car for EVERY house? We've done the riding the car to the block, get out, do the block, get back to the car and drive to a different neighborhood. I'm not judging the use of a car here. I'm physically handicapped, so I can completely understand staying in the car for an adult. :grouphug:

 

I just wonder why a parent would go through the hassel of driving a few feet to the next house rather than just make their kids walk that...

[AimeeM]

We walked together and so did our friends.

 

But did your kids get back in the car for EVERY house? We've done the riding the car to the block, get out, do the block, get back to the car and drive to a different neighborhood. I'm not judging the use of a car here. I'm physically handicapped, so I can completely understand staying in the car for an adult. :grouphug:

 

I just wonder why a parent would go through the hassel of driving a few feet to the next house rather than just make their kids walk that...

 

A year ago my son never would have been able to walk to ToT. He was only a year post op for a congenital lung condition and a myriad of vascular defects and, although 2, was barely walking. Even now his stamina is low.

I'm sure a few people raised their eyebrows at the sight of me carrying a preschooler once we hit the second block.

All that just to say this (lol) ... I am sure the parents driving have their reasons. We should have taken ours :P

Edited November 1, 2012 by AimeeM

[hsbaby]

We did that in our old neighborhood. However, each lot is 1.5+ acres so the houses are far apart. You would have to walk miles, up and down hills, to get to a decent amount of houses. Most people drive that neighborhood. Now that we are way out there, we drive to a neighborhood, get out, and walk.

[Live2Ride]

We took the kids last night and I kept seeing kids who would run up to a door, ring the bell, "Trick or treat!" and then collect candy. When they were finished, they'd run back to a car so their parents could drive them to the next house, whether next door or two doors down. :001_huh: We live in a modest neighborhood with about 66% of lights being on. It was high 60s/low 70s here last night, so it wasn't too cold.

 

Am I the only one that sees this as really lazy?!

 

Nope...too many cars out=more risk to kids. People need to be out walking.

[swellmomma]

But did your kids get back in the car for EVERY house? We've done the riding the car to the block, get out, do the block, get back to the car and drive to a different neighborhood. I'm not judging the use of a car here. I'm physically handicapped, so I can completely understand staying in the car for an adult. :grouphug:

 

I just wonder why a parent would go through the hassel of driving a few feet to the next house rather than just make their kids walk that...

 

Not every house, but my 9 year old jumped back in every 3-4 houses to warm up a minute. I watch my kids at every single house, not from the end of the street. So I was inching forward watching them go to each door, they got in when there was a stretch of dark houses, or were cold, ds9 was the one that got in and out most. The teens walked most of it.

[bzymom]

I am sure there are plenty of people who do it due to health issues, or in crazy cold weather. I get that, and would do the same under such circumstances.

 

But I also know there are many in my neighborhood who drive their children two houses to the bus stop every.single.day. so their children can sit in the car until the bus arrives. This is not a result of health issues, problems at the bus stop, or anything else. It is just not within their minds that these kids can walk to the bus stop and stand patiently until the bus arrives. :confused:

 

So no, those kids are not going to walk around to trick or treat.

[wendyroo]

I'm sure that some people have legitimate reasons to drive their kids house to house, but around here, I think the number of cars trolling around is ridiculous and dangerous.

 

Yes, it was cold, and yes it was drizzling, but that is what coats and umbrellas are made for.

 

We live in a subdivision that gets hundreds and hundreds of trick or treaters. The place is a madhouse. Many families drive here and park and walk the neighborhood, which I don't mind at all, but all those parked cars are already adding obstacles on the road and making it hard to see a small child who is darting out into the street. Then add to that a steady stream of parents slowly cruising along with half their attention on the road and half on their kids. It is a recipe for disaster and there are many near misses every year.

 

Wendy

[Stacia]

I know there are reasons why people would do the driving thing (yes, I understand the reasons that have already been posted on this thread so there's no need to flame me), but I think it's overused, esp. in a regular neighborhood where houses are close together, most people are home ('open' for trick-or-treating), and the weather is moderate. Realistically, there are reasons for vehicles, but there are also plenty of lazy parents/kids &/or helicopter parents out there too.

 

I think it's dangerous for all the people who are out walking when lots of cars are out, as well as for the kids that are constantly hopping in & out of a moving vehicle.

 

Imo, much of the fun of Halloween is getting to run around outside after dark. (Too many vehicles makes that dangerous & suddenly not so fun.) In addition to the dangers, an irritating part of it is that as a pedestrian, it's also often blinding to have cars w/ bright lights rolling along the street, keeping pace. The glare makes it harder to see.

[Parrothead]

It was raining last night.

 

I've driven for the last 3 years at least part of the time. I have a friend we TorT with. She can only handle so much cold/wind/inclement weather due to a medical condition. So in order for her kids to TorT more than 15 minutes or so I drive us around.

[gardenmom5]

When they were finished, they'd run back to a car so their parents could drive them to the next house, whether next door or two doors down. :001_huh: We live in a modest neighborhood with about 66% of lights being on. It was high 60s/low 70s here last night, so it wasn't too cold.

 

Am I the only one that sees this as really lazy?!

 

sounds like the parents were the lazy ones. didn't want to walk their darlings.

[Serenade]

It seems to be more and more common. At my old neighborhood, only the outsiders who came to trick or treat would do this. However, last weekend we were camping, and kids would trick or treat from campsite to campsite. Even at the campground, at least half the kids either rode in golf carts or cars. It makes me roll my eyes, too. Trick or Treating happened during the day, the weather was nice, the campsites are close together, and the kids were still riding. Some of them seemed to want me to get up and bring it to them in their golfcart, but I wouldn't budge, LOL. If they wanted the candy, they needed to step down and get it!

 

ETA: I think the car thing is dangerous. When this happens, there are so many cars right after each other, and kids are crossing from one side of the street to another. At the campground, one kid almost got hit when she ran in front of a truck that was trying to get around all the cars/golf carts stopped for Trick or Treating. I was glad that where we trick or treated last night, the streets were blocked off to cars. There were a lot of kids, and it felt safer without the cars all around.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Serenade

[Arcadia]

A year ago my son never would have been able to walk to ToT. He was only a year post op for a congenital lung condition and a myriad of vascular defects and, although 2, was barely walking. Even now his stamina is low.

I'm sure a few people raised their eyebrows at the sight of me carrying a preschooler once we hit the second block.

 

My boys did ToT in their strollers until they were 5. No one raise an eyebrow, probably because you can see kindergartners in strollers pretty often.

My younger who has less stamina did fell asleep halfway through ToT in his stroller a few years back and people just put candy in his pumpkin pail. :001_smile:

[LibraryLover]

I don't believe you. :001_smile: That only happens in Los Angeles, and old Steve Martin movies.

[tex-mex]

Yes... the whole idea of ToT'ing is walking and having a blast! Then coming home exhausted from the exercise. Going thru the candies with parent's help. And enjoying a tasty treat before bedtime. I never could make my stash last 'til Thanksgiving, tho'.