I've noticed some changes in the last couple of years

In some cases, the babies are coming along because the parents are escorting other children. But, for the most part, I'm with you. Really young children should probably stay home with one of the parents. I guess I started trick or treating when I was about 4, when I could run and keep up with my older brother.

I agree. I think its because those, so called adults, are not grown up themselves and still want to go trick or treating themselves and use their infants as an excuse to go again.

They're probably doing it to show off their baby's costume. I've never done that and would never think of doing it. The babies don't understand what's going on and, chances are, they won't be allowed to eat the candy anyway. When my first son was 1 1/2 years old, I made a little bat costume for him. I painted a black nose on his face, with whiskers. The costume had a black cape (the "wings") with a hood with ears. He was adorable! I made the costume because I had a friend who had a baby within a week of my having mine and she was having a party for the little ones, all of whom were in costume, mostly for the parents, of course. After the party, I took my son over to my parents' apartment, had him stand at the front door, rang the bell and hid over on the side so when they opened the door it was just my son standing there in his little bat costume. I said, "tick or teet" since he wasn't about to say anything. It just about had my parents in tears. They thought that was so adorable! But, they were the only places we went and I wouldn't call it trick or treating since no candy was handed out. My kids "officially" started trick or treating about the age of 4 or 5. Before then, it was parties only. Hmm, I know I have some pictures of him in his little bat costume somewhere around here. I'll look for them tomorrow and post one here if I can find them.

I probably should have just passed this one up!!! But I'm feeling the urge to put in my 2 cents worth!!!! YES, parents are ruining children & then complain they can't do anything with them!!! I think that if a child can NOT walk or talk then they should STAY AT HOME!!!! The parents that take out infants are doing it for the SELF-gratification of hearing everybody say "AWWWW isn't that just precious?" Well, they DON'T mean it & are just being polite!!! Of course, I know my thoughts are not popular with most of the Mothers here; but do I give a hoot??? NOPE!!! When I've said in other discussions that Mothers should stay home with their children until they get old enough to be sociable, I've dayum near been strung up. One Mother informed me that it was "her right" to go out & she couldn't afford a babysitter so she "had" to take the child with her. EXCUUUUUSE ME??? I'm sorry, that child did NOT ask to be born. More than likely that child did NOT ask to go out!!! I know I'm older than dirt, but my Mom NEVER hired a babysitter & she CHOSE to stay home with us out of consideration for others. She & my Dad NEVER went to a movie theater because she knew that she could NOT control our crying. Instead she opted to go to a drive-in movie where she could roll up the car windows & only the people in our car were disturbed. She NEVER took us out to eat...opting to actually COOK!!! I was in Wal~mart one night at 1:00am & the lady in front of me was carrying a newborn that was screaming at the top of his lungs. She was whining that he was getting on her last nerve. I asked her why the hell she didn't have him at home sleeping in his crib like he should be. She told me it was none of my freaking business. She was right as it was none of my business...UNTIL she brought him into my space when he should have been home sleeping!!! In my opinion, she was committing child abuse!!!! I have a friend with 3 children under 5 years old. She stays broke & whines constantly about not having any money & not enough food for the children. Yet, come Christmas she spends a small fortune to buy those kids Santa. The youngest one isn't even old enough to know what Santa is!!! So why not buy her FOOD in place of toys??? I'm sure she'd be a LOT happier & not cry most of the time from being hungry!!!! When we were young, my Dad took me out for Halloween. My brother was 3 years younger than me & scared of his own shadow; so, my Mom kept him at home until he asked to be able to go. She explained to him that it would probably be scary & it wasn't just collecting candy. When I got home, I SHARED my bag of goodies with him until he got old enough to go out & enjoy all the goblins!!! The other thing my Mom did was... She'd take us shopping with her & if we asked her to buy us something specific, she ALWAYS said NO. Then if we behaved, once we got to the car, she'd leave us with our Dad,go back & buy whatever we had asked for. She'd hide it for a couple of days & give it to us for being good on whatever day she decided we had earned it. That way we never associated shopping with her as our "right" to get a gift!!! She did NOT put up with whining either as she'd send us to the car real quick!!! It didn't take long before we realized that whining meant sitting in the car with Dad & he was NO fun!!! Just so I don't make her sound like the Wicked Witch of the West, she LOVED us very much & ONLY did what was necessary to make us grow up to be polite & sociable!!!! Giving a child EVERYTHING they want is NOT necessarily what is best for them!!! Sometimes saying NO is the appropriate answer!!!

We got a grand total of SIX trick or treaters this year, but out of the six the youngest was probably 3 and super adorable. I think it may have been his first house and quite possibly his first year trick or treating, his eyes were wide and he looked slightly terrified, lol. He had 2 older siblings with him though, and parents waiting at the end of the drive way. My sister has a two year old boy and a three month old girl. They dressed their son up as a cow (or a 'moo' as he calls them) and took him around to all their friends and relatives places and a few other houses. I think that's a good way to do it. They dressed the baby up too but she was just along for the ride, not trick or treating. It was fun and not too much for the little guy. Although he was a little confused why they kept going to these houses and he couldn't go inside to visit! I think you're right though, and I have noticed it. People seem to have this need to rush EVERYTHING. I see why a parent would look forward to Halloween with their kids but there will be enough cold, windy or even SNOWY October 31st's they will get to spend freezing their limbs off waiting for their eager children to finish trick or treating. I say enjoy the years where you can just dress them up in adorable costumes and stay in your warm house handing out the candy!

I was an only child until I was 4, and my parents used to show me pictures of all the MANY Christmas presents I used to get before they had 2 more kids and went completely broke to the point they couldn't even afford a tree. I know it's totally selfish, but I really wanted the good Christmas when I was old enough to remember it! The earliest Halloween I can remember is in like 4th grade. I was a vampire and had the cape, fake blood, slick hair, white makeup, etc. I can't remember before then. But... From the pictures I seen of my lucrative Christmas years, I was really enjoying myself with my Incredible Hulk toybox, talking ALF doll, Superman PJs, etc. I would guess that babies, even though they probably don't grasp what's going on, can still pick up on it being enjoyable and get a few laughs out on Halloween. But I agree that parents are doing it for themselves - like taking those little cry machines to the movies with them. What's your baby doing watching the Tom Cruise flick, lady!? Put a plug in that thing, will ya. I see younger mothers with their babies out EVERYWHERE! It's like a fashion accessory. I should run to the store to buy some good parenting pamphlets to hand out instead of candy if anyone decides to bring their babies to my crib.

When you say some babies are already crying or in tears, any difference? Because they were very tired, or hungry, or sleepy, then obviously they were not enjoying. I agree with your point that babies should not be a part of hallooween party until they can truly enjoy the celebration/event. You know, those babies might be scared, oh yes, and those mothers might just ignore them because they themselves enjoy the party much. I hope they didnt forget they have their babies with them...

If the kids are not old enough to walk & say "trick or treat" for themselves then no they should be left home to pass out the candy. I don't get many trick or treaters here but my IL"s do and man it takes ballz to knock on someones door & ask for a treat as an adult and point to the baby in the WTH?!?! The infant clearly can't eat that candy! Now the only time I agree with this is if there are older siblings with and the lil ones come along but don't beg for an infant when they can't walk up the steps to get the candy or even slightly say trick or treat. I know I didn't really take my oldest til she was 3-4ish.

I agree that it is ridiculous to put a costume on a baby and parade them around the neighborhood. A news-anchor on a local TV station remarked that he was going to go home and TRY to get a bumble bee costume on his 1 year old son. Everyone wished him luck. I believe that 1 is too young, but I would send a 3 year old trick or treating, especially if there are older siblings who are going. One possible reason for taking a child younger then three is if you need to chaperon older siblings, and there is no one with whom to leave the baby.

well, i did that once with my 9mths old daughter and she caught an awful cold, way back when, shes 37 now. anyway, i had no one to watch her. so i took her with us. my other 3 were all over 6 yrs. sometimes i wonder if they just didnt have anyone to watch the youngest? i never did it again, under 6 yrs. learned my lesson.

I agree that parents should wait until they're children are a bit older to understand what is going on. At least until they are old enough to eat the candy. I mean what is the whole point of bringing a baby house to house to get candy that they can't eat. Unless its the parents that are wanting the candy and are using the kids for the candy. I totally agree that parents should wait until they are old enough to have the understanding of what trick or treating is all about. I would think that instead of most parents bringing they're babies out to go trick or treating, that they should still dress them up and have them help pass out the candy. At least the toddlers help.

If they want to go and are old enough to understand what's going on then they should be able to go. However if they're in tears leave them at home. I know we took my 3 year old cousin out for Halloween and he loved it.

i agree with you i toooooo have obsereved the environment near by