Being with the grandkids for Halloween and trick-or-treat is a blast! Here are some tips I have gathered:
- Learn how you can help the parents on trick-or-treat night.
You might have visions of going house-to-house with your Spider Man and Snow White. But maybe the parents are looking forward to doing that together while you stay home and hand out the candy. Uh-oh.
The handful of times we have been at our grandchildren’s house in late October we first asked our son and his wife where they wanted us to be for the big night.
Every year it has been different. When we were there for the most recent Halloween, our daughter-in-law asked if we would take just the youngest child to houses on their street (“he likes to go slow”). She and her friends would take the very-excited older kids and their posse of friends trick-or-treating. Our son would stay home to give out candy.
So that’s what we did (of course, after I got some great photos of all my grandkids). We had a terrific time letting Sebastian go to the houses he chose, and loved seeing him get so excited with the little pieces of candy in his bag. Our slow walk was much more fun than trying to keep up with the Big Kids! Another tip about that night: our sweet daughter-in-law gave us flashlights to use while trick or treating. It made it easier and safer for us!
- Don’t take trick-or-treat bags without checking first.
I heard this story through a friend-of-a-friend about a neighbor’s sister’s hairdresser (or something like that): soon after she arrived for her week-long visit, a grandmother eagerly presented her grandchildren with really cute (and expensive) trick-or-treat bags and the kids loved them. Trouble was, the mom had made hand-crafted bags and was going to give them to her kids on the big night. Sticky situation, right? I never heard how it worked out but I filed away this important lesson: “always ask first.”
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Safety first and other rules.
If you do get to take children out for trick-or-treat, ask the parents if they can help you establish some rules with the kids before you all leave the house. Good rules include: no running, stay on sidewalks, cross streets only holding my hand (depending on age), wait your turn, take only one piece of candy, don’t eat any candy until someone at your home checks it, don’t go into any homes, stay with me, stay out of flower beds and other landscaping, etc. Chances are, you’ll hear some rules from the parents you had long forgotten.
- Ask the parents about candy rules.
When you were a parent of little ones, you probably had a “policy” of how much candy could be eaten that night, how much in the following days, etc. Ask the parents how they handle it — and support their wishes no matter how you used to do it.
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Sit back and take it all in.
Your grandkids are going to be excited and “wound up” as my mom used to say. They will be on overload, and there might be a fight as they trade candy with one another when the trick-or-treating is done. Sit back and relax and let the parents handle things. These children on Halloween are not your usual grandchildren and the parents know best on how to handle discord, especially on a night like this.
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Consider a Halloween party.
When we have been visiting during a “minor holiday” such as Halloween or St. Patrick’s Day, we sometimes have a small party for the grands at the VRBO apartment where we stay. A cheap trip to a dollar store and I get everything we need, from balloons to decorative plates and napkins. At the party, I have a game or two, with everybody getting a prize. Some parties included a meal and sometimes it was just snacks and sweets.
- Pack a costume for you.
Once when we were at the grandkids’ for Halloween, there was an event at their local library. Everybody — including adults — was supposed to dress up. I fashioned a witch hat out of construction paper and wore a black sweater and slacks. Good enough! The next time I was there for Halloween, I was prepared.
I love to share my tips! To see 17 articles by me on how to be a good houseguest when traveling (such as Honor the House Rules), just click on this link: Grandparents Visiting.
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