Hey ladies. I am hoping to get an honest point in the right direction from the more seasoned moms. My oldest is 10 and in fifth grade. There is a Halloween party going on this Friday night at my daughters friends house and the entire fifth grade was invited. Clearly, my kid is really excited.

We are a bit on the over-protective side, so she has never gone to party by herself. Now, there will be adults there (mom and dad of host) but the kids are doing a neighborhood "Treasure Haunt" which sounds very similar to a scavanger hunt. The kids are going by themselves in groups. There are about 45 kids that have RSVP'd to attend this event. It starts at 7 pm and goes until 10 pm. Am I being silly to feel weird about this? It seems like two adults with this many children is not a lot of supervision. Then the running around a strange neighborhood at night activity has me a bit stressed too.

Those of you with pre-teens, is this a normal situation? Would you let your children go? She is really excited and I am having second thoughts. Thanks!

I would let my 5th grader go...as long as there are adults with each group in the scavenger hunt. As a point of reference, Johnny's (our exchange student) cross country team did a scavenger hunt in our neighborhood last weekend. It was finished before dark. Each team had 5 runners and either an adult or large senior boy to protect the smaller runners. Never know when an emergency might happen--sprained ankle, etc.

Good luck,
Tracey

Michael (10)
Francesca (9)
Matthew, Alexis & Gabrielle (8)
Torunn (Norwegian DD,19)
Johannes (German DS,16)

I'd let me kids go. I'm sure they won't be doing the scavenger hunt at 10 pm. I'd ask to see if there would be an extra adult doing the supervising of the kids i.e. 1/2 the kids on one side of the block with one parent and another parent one street over. And don't forget there is safety in numbers.

It sounds like a lot of fun!

Sharon
10 year old b/b/b + 14 year old son

I would possibly let mine go - if I felt it is age and ciscumstance appropriate, (though not to a Halloween thing because it is not our custom to celebrate H, although we do do some harvest time activities, which is very similar.) Anyway - maybe you could volunteer to help chaperone the event. Surely they could use an extra pair of adult eyes/ears - and you could stay in the background from the group your child is in to give them freedom, but still be there - kwim?




Wiltrip Mom with 5
2 teens & BBG - school age and easier than the teens!

hi
i don't think you're overprotective.

i bet if you called the parents and offered to help supervise they would jump at the opportunity, if even for the adult conversation. this is a good way to let your girl go and be part of the group, but also to monitor that it is a safe environment. i say good for you for looking at the possible concerns.


tess
mummy to 5yr old ds & the triumverate born 2004

"the days are slow but the years fly by quickly"

The parents may have enlisted more help than you might know about. But, even if not, the ratio is about 20 kids per adult, probably less than they have in class each day if you think about it. I think it sounds like a lot of fun and I would probably go. If you're still worried about it, offer to come help supervise when your RSVP.

Kim
Nate, Nick & Noel(36w4d)and Nia.

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No would not let them go unless there was an adult to watch each group of kids. They are going to be running around having fun and may not notice if a friend is lost or missing from the group. Also it being nighttime is another factor. Plus strange neighborhood and people you do not know. I'm a little overprotective too but this seems like it should be alittle bit more organized than it is.

Julie

Thanks for all the advice. I did end up letting her go last night. She had her cell phone on her person and was instructed not to leave her "best friends" side. My husband made about four drive bys to make sure he could see her. We talked to the parents and they said they didn't need any additional help...and they were in fact the only two adults there. However, for the tresure haunt, they had enlisted the help of their neighbors so the kids had a map of houses they were to visit in search of various items. That felt a bit more comforting than the idea of a bunch of ten year olds going to a strange house, after dark, alone.

It was a success. My kids was so excited to be doing a "big kid" activity, without any sibling tag-a-longs. Although now she is asking to go trick-or-treating with just her friends and I told her that was out of the question. LOL! I guess if you give them an inch...

Thanks again ladies.

Your husband took my idea. I totally seeing myself being a Private Investigator once my kids start to roam.
h

I'd feel the same. Can't you offer to be there? As another chaperone? Not to be right on your child's tail but to be there just in case? My kids are almost 9 so not quite as old but still, I'd like to be "around", especially as this is an unknown neighborhood. If they were staying at the house, i would ok with that.

RoseMarie
mom to the Hooligans 12/21/98

Glad it was a success and everything worked out well. I think many of us are in the same boat, or fast approaching, so I was glad you posted this.



http://teensandtriplets.blogspot.com/

Wiltrip Mom with 5
2 teens & BBG - school age and easier than the teens!