5 replies to this topic

[steve219]

Being a pensioner, I was brought up with very different values and cares than exist today. Today's parents seem, to me as a non-parent, paranoid about risk and safety, witness the kids who have to ride bikes weighed down with protective gear, and on pavements, to boot...

so I was bemused to see, just as dark was falling this evening, parents escorting their small children and encouraging/allowing them to knock on strangers' doors asking for treats... at least that is what I was told they were asking for by my equally bemused partner, who is parent.

Am I missing something, why is it OK to do something as seemingly so stupid as to go round door to door like this, when fright has to be instilled into kids of every tiny danger...it's years since kids were even allowed to sing carols for a decent cause, so why is October 30 different?.

Old Man

[PhilD]

steve219, on 30 October 2011 - 06:41 PM, said:

Being a pensioner, I was brought up with very different values and cares than exist today. Today's parents seem, to me as a non-parent, paranoid about risk and safety, witness the kids who have to ride bikes weighed down with protective gear, and on pavements, to boot...

so I was bemused to see, just as dark was falling this evening, parents escorting their small children and encouraging/allowing them to knock on strangers' doors asking for treats... at least that is what I was told they were asking for by my equally bemused partner, who is parent.

Am I missing something, why is it OK to do something as seemingly so stupid as to go round door to door like this, when fright has to be instilled into kids of every tiny danger...it's years since kids were even allowed to sing carols for a decent cause, so why is October 30 different?.

Old Man

I am a parent, but my children are now grown up
what amazes me about my neighbours is the fact that they allow very young children ( max 4 yrs upwards) to play outside unsupervised until at least 8pm and more importantly to charge around on bikes on public roads as if they were on some kind of center parcs
when the inevitable happens I'm sure it will be laid at the door of the motorist

[catbazza]

steve219, on 30 October 2011 - 06:41 PM, said:

Being a pensioner, I was brought up with very different values and cares than exist today. Today's parents seem, to me as a non-parent, paranoid about risk and safety, witness the kids who have to ride bikes weighed down with protective gear, and on pavements, to boot...

so I was bemused to see, just as dark was falling this evening, parents escorting their small children and encouraging/allowing them to knock on strangers' doors asking for treats... at least that is what I was told they were asking for by my equally bemused partner, who is parent.

Am I missing something, why is it OK to do something as seemingly so stupid as to go round door to door like this, when fright has to be instilled into kids of every tiny danger...it's years since kids were even allowed to sing carols for a decent cause, so why is October 30 different?.

Old Man

At least the children were escorted by the parents which is something, but I & my grown up children as with most other people never celebrated Halloween in those days.

I have had children coming to my door unescorted saying "Trick or treat" & if I say trick they look at me bewildered & if I offer sweets as a treat they look disgusted because it was money they were expecting.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

catbazza, on 31 October 2011 - 09:48 AM, said:

At least the children were escorted by the parents which is something, but I & my grown up children as with most other people never celebrated Halloween in those days.

I have had children coming to my door unescorted saying "Trick or treat" & if I say trick they look at me bewildered & if I offer sweets as a treat they look disgusted because it was money they were expecting.

Something else from another culture across the pond. Perhaps their teachers and/or parents should look up what it is, how it started and for why. Have just looked it's history on the InterNet My link

Edited by Sebastian-Smythe, 31 October 2011 - 11:28 PM.

[bikerbabe]

Everything is modernised and commercialised these days - just like Christmas is now.

Halloween isn't just from America (though I believe trick or treating maybe) halloween was, and still is, known as Samhain (pronounced Sow - win) and although it is knows as the festival of the dead - hence the witches and ghosts and ghouls etc, its also when the pagens celebrate a new year, the coming of winter, the light is passing and the darkness is upon us - just as they celebrate the passing of people and animals dear to them and they celebrate the life they lead etc on that night (Oct 31-Nov 1st) as this is when the 2 worlds are closest to each other..

but kids just see it as a time when the bad witches are out and ghosts are around, or they used to, it seems they think its more the time when they get sweets and money and dress up - like they get presents and eat nice things at Christmas, nothing to do with Christianity etc..

Whatever tradition you like to hold dear, it should be passed on to the younger generation - explain why we do what we do, and they will learn and hopefully remember and pass it onto their kids.. otherwise Halloween just means dressing up and getting sweets and Christmas will just mean eating Christmas dinner and getting presents..

[Sebastian-Smythe]

bikerbabe, on 02 November 2011 - 01:21 AM, said:

Everything is modernised and commercialised these days - just like Christmas is now.

Halloween isn't just from America (though I believe trick or treating maybe) halloween was, and still is, known as Samhain (pronounced Sow - win) and although it is knows as the festival of the dead - hence the witches and ghosts and ghouls etc, its also when the pagens celebrate a new year, the coming of winter, the light is passing and the darkness is upon us - just as they celebrate the passing of people and animals dear to them and they celebrate the life they lead etc on that night (Oct 31-Nov 1st) as this is when the 2 worlds are closest to each other..

but kids just see it as a time when the bad witches are out and ghosts are around, or they used to, it seems they think its more the time when they get sweets and money and dress up - like they get presents and eat nice things at Christmas, nothing to do with Christianity etc..

Whatever tradition you like to hold dear, it should be passed on to the younger generation - explain why we do what we do, and they will learn and hopefully remember and pass it onto their kids.. otherwise Halloween just means dressing up and getting sweets and Christmas will just mean eating Christmas dinner and getting presents..

Spot on and thank you. Especially your last paragraph.