Halloween is one of the most fun times of the years for kids (and even some adults). But when you think about it, we send our kids out in the dark (when all we’ve ever told them is “be home by dark”) to knock on “strangers” doors for candy (never talk to strangers!) and accept candy from said strangers that they will later divide, trade and eat. I don’t mean to be a killjoy, but this could be a potentially dangerous time of year for kids too. Here are some tips for keeping your kids safe and happy during trick-or-treating this Halloween:
1) Never let any kids under the age of 12 trick-or-treat alone. There is safety in numbers and younger children can get disoriented in the dark (neighborhoods can look different than during the day) or even scared. Be sure to go out with your kids if they are young and if they are older, be sure they have a buddy or a group of teens to go out with.
2) Always provide a flashlight and/or glow stick to light the way. When kids are dressed in costumes, particularly dark colored or black, it will be difficult for cars to see them. A flashlight can provide much needed light to see where they are going and illumination for oncoming traffic.
3) Know who they are with if they are going out with friends. Find out where they will be, and if you are driving, where and what time to pick them up. If they are not forthcoming with the information, you will probably need to rethink the plan, or just track them using their phone tracking system (that’s a little extreme and I’m only just kidding a little bit!)
If you are in need of more information about how to keep your kids safe tonight, here a great website with information that can give you peace of mind and net your kids a lot of candy! http://www.safekids.org/halloween
Happy Halloween!
