In this day of helicopter parenting and mobile tracking apps, it would scarcely be surprising to spot a mom shadowing her child in their every daily act. But one mom is decidedly letting go of the reins this Halloween and boldly declared that she’ll be allowing her 8-year-old daughter to trick-or-treat alone.
Just Like Her Parents Did
Katharine Stahl has been letting her daughter roam their neighborhood alone since she turned 8, and credits their tight-knit neighborhood, where she knows and trusts most of the parents, as giving her peace of mind.
She Knows Experts Would Disagree, But She Believes Her Daughter Is Old Enough
While Stahl knows that her daughter is much younger than the expert-recommended age in which kids can trick-or-treat alone, she believes she’s old enough. There are rules her daughter is expected to follow — she has to stay with a buddy and has to head home as soon as it starts getting dark — but Stahl believes her third-grader can be trusted with the same freedoms she enjoyed as a child.
She Is Nervous, However
Stahl admits that the idea of her daughter trick-or-treating alone makes her nervous, but she’s comforted by the fact that her quiet suburban neighborhood allows her to embrace the “free-range parenting thing.”
Let Kids Be Kids, She Says
Similar to her own Halloween experiences growing up, Stahl wants her daughter to be able to let loose, giggle with her friends and eat too much sugar. Because that’s what childhood is all about.
Would you let your 8-year-old trick-or-treat alone?
