Everyone loves trick or treating on the night of Halloween. Who wouldn’t? Free candy and hanging out with friends is something that no one would pass up, but there is often a point at which people stop trick or treating. Should teenagers be able to bring out their inner kid one night every year?

Teenagers face discrimination on whether they should be dressing up and trick or treating. However, why not let kids be kids while they can? High schoolers are at a stage in life where they are figuring out how to be adults. The homework load is often unbearable, and peer pressure can be stressful. Halloween should be a night where kids can just be kids and not have to face the reality of the real world. The stress load of school is enough to make anyone pull their hair out. Teenagers should be able to enjoy this “one night of the year treat.”

Sure, some teenagers will outgrow trick or treating. They might say, “I’m too old for that” or “I’m not a little kid anymore”. Many high schoolers will find a local party to attend on Halloween. Isn’t this exactly what most parents don’t want? Taking away the option to go trick or treating for teens means that they will want to find something else to do. More often than not, this means a party, and most parties have alcohol or other substances that people, especially teens, shouldn’t do. The negative connotation associated with teenagers trick or treating is one that has been around for a long time. People should start shifting their mind set from, “Teens are too old to trick or treat” to, “This could be the one night teenagers can let loose and be a kid again before adulthood.” Amber Sherrill, a mom of two students at Hellgate, said that teenagers should be able to trick or treat if they want.

Many adults expect teenagers to begin acting like an adult once they hit high school. Parents will start enforcing teens to stop this “childish tradition.” Yes, this makes sense on a certain level. If teenagers started to get back into trick or treating, then candy providers would have to stock up on more because they would have more trick or treaters. Most people don’t want to pay for more candy that they won’t even get to eat. Also, if teens did trick or treat, there would have to be a time that they stopped. When would that be if high schoolers trick or treated? I think that teenagers will stop trick or treating when they think the time is right. However, this decision should be 100% the child’s, not the parents. 

Overall, there is a huge negative connotation around high school students trick or treating. Teens should be able to experience this one night of the year fun if they wish. Parents shouldn’t be able to enforce when they should stop trick or treating and let high schoolers “let loose” before they enter adulthood.