Happy Halloween everyone! Today is that special, spooky day of the year when kids get to dress up in their most ghoulish of costumes and go trick-or-treating. Of course, the objective is to have fun. But, the biggest concern for parents, no doubt, is the safety of their children. It should go without saying that keeping an eye on them is important.
But in today’s blog, we’d like to offer some tips on how to ensure that you all have a happy and safe Halloween. On About.com, Robin McClure provides a number of tips to parents who plan on taking their costume-clad kids out for the annual trick-or-treating festivities tonight.
Feed your kids a healthy meal prior to going trick or treat. Not only will this help your kids to have more energy, but it will reduce their temptation to snack on the generally unhealthy collection of chocolates, chips and candy that they will be collecting this evening. A healthy Halloween meal is a great way to start off the evening.
Insist that your child goes to the bathroom BEFORE leaving the house. You’d be surprised how often trick-or-treating needs to be interrupted for a bathroom break. And the last thing you want to do is use a stranger’s house (and we don’t necessarily mean the inside of it). Make sure they go before going outside! And, just in case, be sure that they are in costumes that don’t make it difficult to get off and on.
Children of any age should be accompanied by a parent, if possible. This is a no-brainer, isn’t it? It shouldn’t even have to be said. But we’ll say it anyways. You don’t have to go to the door with your children, especially if they are “tweens” or young teens, but be there to make sure that they are safe. McClure writes that you should also have older kids carry a cell phone in the event of an emergency.
Never allow children to eat candy before it is inspected. Throw away any opened candy right away. It’s not worth taking the risk. Also, unless you know the family personally, it’s best to dispose of homemade goodies that are given to your children. As well, you may want to set aside your children’s candy so that you can decide how much and how often they can get their hands on it.
Now, not all of you will be canvassing the streets for candy tonight. There are also a few important tips to follow if you’re one of the generous neighbours who will be handing out candy to trick-or-treating children this evening. McClure advises that you kindly remove any potentially dangerous objects from your yard, including hoses, flower pots, extension cords and tools.
Also, keep your house well-lit and inviting. And remember to be safe. McClure notes that using a battery-powered light over a candle in your jack-o-lantern is safest. But if you insist on a candle, be sure that the pumpkin is kept away from possible exposure to the kids in costumes. Here’s hoping you all have a happy and safe Halloween!
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