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Little goblins in the house are always filled with anticipation as Halloween nears. Excitement abounds as children and their parents get busy making costumes, planning parties, hanging decorations and carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns. The kids count the days until they can partake in the most coveted ritual: trick-or-treat. While filling their pillowcases up with the world’s visible supply of candy is fun, children don’t always realize that there is a potential for hazards. This Halloween, safeguard your children and add a safety check to your Halloween to-do list. It’s easy! Just follow these five simple steps:
1. Dress Your Child in Reflective Clothing
Before your child leaves the house, be sure he or she is wearing reflective clothing so motorists can see them. This is just as important at dusk as it is after dark. Since many Halloween costumes are primarily black in color, add strips of reflective tape on the back and front of the costume. This tape is available at most hardware or home improvement stores.
2. Be Sure Face Masks Don’t Restrict Vision
When your son’s monster costume commands a face as sinister as the clothing, opt for face make-up instead of a mask. Make-up can be creatively applied and won’t restrict vision the way some masks can. If it’s absolutely necessary for your child to wear a mask, be sure it has large eye holes to allow for forward and peripheral vision. If not, cut the eye holes at least large enough so that the child can look both ways when crossing a street. If cutting won’t work, choose another style mask.
3. Walk In Groups and Be Alert
Younger children should always be accompanied by a parent or guardian when trick-or-treating, and parents might consider driving from block to block or bringing along a stroller to assist little ones who might tire easily. If allowed to trick-or-treat without a chaperone, older children should walk in large groups and stick together. They should be given a time limit for their candy pursuit (many towns have an established trick-or-treat time and curfew), and if possible, they should check in at their home from time to time.
4. Stay in Well-Lighted, Well-Traveled Areas
Children and adults should confine their trick-or-treat route to well-lighted, well-traveled areas. Well-lighted gated communities and enclosed residential developments usually provide a safe path for Halloween travel. Some other safe alternatives include trick-or-treating inside malls, schools or inside a familiar apartment building. Some communities even open their town hall for this purpose. Again, it is advisable for parents or guardians to accompany children while trick-or-treating.
5. Inspect Treats Before Eating
The ghouls and ghosts are certain to work up an appetite haunting the neighborhood, and invariably will want to sample their loot. That’s fine, provided a parent or guardian inspects the treats first. Discard any unwrapped items, homemade baked goods and pieces of fruit, unless they are from a family member or close friend. Look closely at wrapped goodies to detect any signs of tampering. If something even looks remotely suspicious, don’t take any chances. Throw it away immediately. It is better to waste a piece of food than to endanger your child or yourself. Be sure to tell children to wait until they get home and until their treats are checked before they take that first bite.
Make this Halloween a howling success. Have fun, enjoy, and most of all, be safe!
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