Most children I know wait for Halloween all year long! They literally count the days until it comes. It is one of the most exciting days in a year for them. It is more exciting than Christmas or Easter, and for some even more exciting than their birthday. Let’s explore these safety tips to make it a safe Halloween.
Dear Parents:
- Ask your children not to wear masks. Masks make it very difficult for them to see. Try make-up instead. It should be hypoallergenic. It will add some thrill to kids’ costumes and children love it as much as face-painting.
- Remember it gets dark around 6 P.M. Make sure kids are visible in the distance. Buying light costumes, putting a strip of reflective tape on their costumes, or giving children flashlights will take care of being visibile in the dark.
- Dress your children in well-fitting outfits. Avoid dressing them in oversized clothes, too big shoes, long dresses and capes, so that your children don’t trip and fall.
- Dress your kids for the weather. The fall weather is usually wonderful, but if it is cold or wet, add a layer of clothing underneath the costume. Also, ask your kids to wear a sweater and a jacket, if necessary.
- Be mindful of what your children eat. If they are young and love candy, they may choke, if they put too much candy in their mouths.
- Do accompany children younger than ten while trick-or-treating, even if they beg you not to.
If your child wants to go alone:
- Ask him/her to walk in a group of at least three. It is not only safer, but also more fun to be walking around with friends.
- Establish a route that your child follows.
- Give him/her a flashlights, a watch and a cell phone just in case.
- Give him/her a time limit. For example, s/he should be home by 8 P.M.
Dear Children and Teenagers:
- Always walk around in groups. Do not leave your friends’ side. Ever. Stick together.
- Do not visit houses that do not have a porch light on, look abandoned or give you creeps.
- NEVER enter a stranger’s house however nice and welcoming they are.
- Tell your parents where you are at all times, carry a cell phone and answer it when your parents call.
- Carry a white bag for candy. It should be well-visible in the dark.
- Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the side of the street facing the traffic. Do NOT cross the street back and forth.
- Dress for the weather. Looking cool is important, but do not sabotage your health.
- Do not eat anything until you get home, especially if you have allergies.
- If you have any allergies, carry an EpiPen, and inform the people who are walking with you where it is and what to do.
Have a safe Halloween!
