Halloween group isolated
Halloween has to be one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. A day when you can play dress up and get free candy? Yes, please! Kids are clamoring all year long about what they want to wear for their costume months before October even arrives.
Times have changed though. Trick-or-treating is still fun but the safety surrounding this event has become almost a must when sending your kids out the door. With our simple tips, you and your family will be ready for a fun and safe Halloween on October 31.
1. Always check each piece of candy when you get home. Anything open or suspicious looking should be tossed.
2. Walk door-to-door with your kids to ensure that they are safe when approaching a house they might not know. If you have school-aged children and want to give them some ‘independence’ this year – stand a few feet behind them as they ring the doorbell.
3. If you do decide to go up to each door with your children, be sure to make a connection with the person who lives at the house. “This is so-and-so from church.” Or, “Honey, remember Mrs. X who delivers our mail? This is her house.” This nonchalant introduction will help your child make a connection and distinguish between strangers and neighbors.
4. If possible, buy a costume with reflectors or sew them on. The added safety in being able to see children on the road, especially when cars are present, is invaluable.
5. Stay close to your kids. Depending on how busy your street is, you may have other kids in the neighborhood who are wearing the same costume as your child. It’s easy to get kids mixed up when everyone looks the same and it’s dark outside. Take it one step further and have them carry something specific that only you and your child would know about (patch sewn on costume, glow stick with specific color or a special candy bag).
6. Only go to neighborhoods that you are familiar with. If you are new to the area, ask other parents where they take their kids or scope out some areas before the big night to get a feel for each place.
7. Watch out for older kids (think teenagers) who might be out by themselves. It’s easy for a big group of teenagers to cut in front of or ‘take over’ the trick-or-treating scene when there are little kids around.
8. Beware of dogs. If you are not familiar with the house and you hear a dog barking or you see a ‘Beware of Dog’ sign; it’s best to steer clear. Rather than put you and your child in danger, it’s best to move on to the next house.
9. Have a pep talk with your children before heading out for the night. Go over simple safety tips with them and remind them to have fun.
10. Let your kids have fun dumping out their candy bags at home. Once you have rationed out how many pieces each child gets to eat – put the rest up for another day. If you have more candy than you know what to do with, consider donating it to a food bank, giving it to one of your children’s friends who was unable to trick-or-treat this year or putting it in a ziplock bag and saving it for celebrations throughout the year such as birthdays, get togethers or a ‘something special’ treat to sneak in your kid’s lunchbox.
Meagan Ruffing is a freelance parenting writer living in southwest Missouri. She and her husband look forward to safely trick-or-treating with their three children this Halloween.