Creative ways to stop trick or treaters

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

Can you just put a big bowl of candy out on the walk?

** I don’t think that would last too long, lol. We have some greedy little kids around here…

I’m just hoping it will be a cold night and people will take their kids to the mall instead.

Malia**

 

[lak611]

Could one of you sit in a chair outside and hand out the candy to the children before they get to the door?

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

Could one of you sit in a chair outside and hand out the candy to the children before they get to the door?

**That was suggested in an earlier post… it is usually very cold here by halloween and the kids trick or treat anywhere from 6pm to 9pm. And somewhere in there we would need to prepare and eat supper… it’s not a solution that I want to do. But thanks.

malia
**

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I would say that you just need to leave the porch light off and put Lily to sleep elsewhere in the house that night.

 

[mrsfrazier]

**Yikes, there would be absolutely NO grinning. I am just praying that with her white noise going and our precautions to keep the little goblins away from at least our front door (of course her room/window faces the street) that we will be ok. A night where Lily’s sleep is disturbed is a night full of screaming and crying… it wouldn’t be so bad if all we had to do was be with her and hold her or rock her or sing to her…but she’ll just scream…

Malia**

I hear you! We had people using a leaf blower next door during nap time and it took two days to get back on schedule! Is there a way you can start tomorrow with putting Lily to sleep somewhere quieter in the house in addition to what other posters’ have mentioned? Would she be able to get used to it over the next 4-5 days?

 

[Pug]

Install a moat.

Failing that, rip out the front steps.

Or, you could post a sign with an arrow, saying “Treats next door!” Then give your neighbor extra treats to pass out. Of course, that might make your neighbor’s house a popular stop and increase the noise level. Sigh.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

Install a moat.

Failing that, rip out the front steps.

Or, you could post a sign with an arrow, saying “Treats next door!” Then give your neighbor extra treats to pass out. Of course, that might make your neighbor’s house a popular stop and increase the noise level. Sigh.

**I know hubby would go for a moat…but only if he were allowed to stock it wit crocodiles, lol.

Malia**

 

[jbethity]

don’t people just go by and not stop at the houses with no porch lights on there? I wouldn’t even think of stopping at someone’s house if they didn’t have any outdoor lights on.

I’d just make sure all the outdoor lights were off, all or most of the indoor ones were off, and my drapes facing the street were shut. people should get the hint and if they don’t, they’re insensitive clods.

 

[jnm]

I really think that if you put a bowl of candy next to your sign, you shouldn’t have very many problems. I know this has been stated before, but I believe that it is a win-win situation. While it is true that some children may be greedy, I highly doubt most are. I may be gullible, but I remember seeing those sorts of bowls when I was went out trick or treating and I always respected those rules (even when parents weren’t around!) Also some kids like to cut across the yard, they may not even stop at the drive way. A lit up bowl full of candy would catch their eye a lot more than a simple sign would. You should at the least be prepared with a couple of big signs. Perhaps one for the driveway, and one close to your door? (Maybe even cover up your doorbell!)

 

[NMJenny]

The kids in my town are pretty good about observing the “no lights, no candy” rule–I’m just not physically able to spend three or four hours running back and forth to the front door!

One suggestion–can’t your husband disconnect the doorbell? I don’t know how to do it myself, but I know that mine can be disconnected because my husband did it one year when I had a whole bunch of sick kids.

It might be worth trying to move Lily’s bed into another room now, to see if she can adjust. If it’s dark when you put her down, and she’s in her regular bed, it might not bother her at all, but would get her farther away from the noise in the front…

 

[jman507]

I keep on thinking that any obstacles put up will seem like a challenge that some kids will try to meet. Caution tape, ahh a great Halloween decoration! That house will have something good. I’m thinking maybe get a big bag of cheap candy and fill it every half an hour, but I could see the problems with that too. I think what we need to do in this thread is just throw out every odd idea we can brainstorm, for the sake of peace in this house. Next on Holloween pray. Maybe the only thing that will help is the Lord’s intervention.

 

[Pete99]

DO NOT PUT OUT A WARNING SIGN OR CAUTION TAPE.

I am not proud of this but I was “that Kid” in high school and jr. high who would have rang your doorbell, lit a string of firecrackers and egged your house as I was driving over your mailbox if I saw a warning sign.

Turn lights off, disable the doorbell and leave a sack of candy with a sign that says “out for the night”.

 

[Siena]

Malia,

Just do the bowl of candy with sign that says “take 1”, anyway. Even if it doesn’t last long, other kids will see that you are just out of candy. They would not ring the bell for more.

Make sure you use a big, bright bowl, though. (You don’t have to start with it filled). Otherwise, kids might think you were being a cheepskate when it’s empty, not that other kids cleaned you out.

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Malia,

Just do the bowl of candy with sign that says “take 1”, anyway. Even if it doesn’t last long, other kids will see that you are just out of candy. They would not ring the bell for more.

Make sure you use a big, bright bowl, though. (You don’t have to start with it filled). Otherwise, kids might think you were being a cheepskate when it’s empty, not that other kids cleaned you out.

best idea out of the bunch. You can always refill the bowl, Malia.

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

DO NOT PUT OUT A WARNING SIGN OR CAUTION TAPE.

I am not proud of this but I was “that Kid” in high school and jr. high who would have rang your doorbell, lit a string of firecrackers and egged your house as I was driving over your mailbox if I saw a warning sign.

Turn lights off, disable the doorbell and leave a sack of candy with a sign that says “out for the night”.

**
Thank you for your perspective, it really helps.**

 

[Feanaro_s_Wife]

best idea out of the bunch. You can always refill the bowl, Malia.

**
That is probably what we’ll end up doing…now just have to find the best spot so it’s not missed from either side…

Malia**

 

[Jessamy]

I really think that if you put a bowl of candy next to your sign, you shouldn’t have very many problems. I know this has been stated before, but I believe that it is a win-win situation. While it is true that some children may be greedy, I highly doubt most are. I may be gullible, but I remember seeing those sorts of bowls when I was went out trick or treating and I always respected those rules (even when parents weren’t around!) Also some kids like to cut across the yard, they may not even stop at the drive way. A lit up bowl full of candy would catch their eye a lot more than a simple sign would. You should at the least be prepared with a couple of big signs. Perhaps one for the driveway, and one close to your door? (Maybe even cover up your doorbell!)

Every time I went by one of those bowls when I was a kid it was ALWAYS empty. We had some neighbors 4 houses down who did that every year. We would get to their house early because they were so close, but every time there was no candy left. I can think of several other houses where the same thing occurred. It did stop us from bothering to ring the doorbell, but unless you don’t mind giving candy to a few greedy kids I wouldn’t recommend it.

In any case, the OP is looking to minimize noise and this still requires kids to approach the porch. They probably wouldn’t be too quiet about it either. I vote for a sign in the driveway

 

[SacredHeartFan]

Try setting out a “Help-Your-Self” bowl of candy. Most people in my neighborhood are honest with this and I don’t live in the best neigborhood.

 

[Jay2]

Turn off the porch light, and pull the drapes/curtains. Keep the street-side of the house dark.

Disconnecting the doorbell is easy - if you have a small straight-blade screwdriver - Doorbells in the US are 99.9% low-voltage, only 24 volts, so there’s no real danger of a lethal shock. Just hold the wire by the insulation (not the exposed copper) and you’ll be fine. If you’re uncomfortable with this, ask a neighbor.

(assuming your button is a rectangular/surface mounted type)
Remove the screws holding the button to the doorframe. Gently pull out a bit and the wires will be exposed. Loosen 1 of the screws holding 1 of the wires, and remove the wire. Put a piece of tape (any kind) over the exposed wire, and re-mount the now disconnected switch back on the doorframe.

(if your doorbell button is “flush-mounted”, or just a button inset into the doorframe)
You’ll have to disconnect 1 of the wires from the doorbell unit itself. The cover over the “bells” usually just lifts off. You’ll see the screws holding the wires. Just remove any 1 of them and the doorbell will be disabled. Cover the bare wire with tape, and put the cover back on.

 

[Leopard]

I know hubby would go for a moat…but only if he were allowed to stock it wit crocodiles…

Crocodiles would be rather sluggish in Alberta in late October. I’d recommend muskies.