Today most families have two working parents, both rushing home to start the Halloween festivities. The children are eager to go trick-or-treating. They need help with their costumes. Dads are already answering the doorbell and wrestling to keep Fido in, while handing out candy to the early birds. Moms are trying to get the dinner on the table and force-feed the children before they run out the door. There is a real need to plan ahead for Halloween.
Halloween Tips for Planning Ahead
Prepare a simple and quick dinner the night before, something that kids like to eat. If children are not hungry when they go out, they will be less likely to dig into the candy before bringing it home for inspection. Have a "Help Needed" list that encourages the children to help get the dinner on the table. (Such as: set the table, put ice in glasses, etc.) The porch light should be kept off and early trick-or-treaters should be ignored until dinner is finished, the children are in their costumes and the pet is safely secured.
Getting Children Ready for Halloween
- Try on the costume the day before and make sure it is ready. Don't wait until Halloween evening to remember that it needs to be hemmed, cut or altered in some way.
- Have comfortable shoes and any cold weather gear out and waiting.
Safety Tips Worth Repeating
Halloween safety should never be ignored. It needs to be discussed with children of all ages. Whether they want to hear it or not, go over the common sense rules of safety for any situation. Hearing safety reminders before leaving the house is never a waste of time.
- Look both ways before crossing a street. Cross with the lights, at the corner only.
- Don't run out in the street between parked cars.
- Stay in a group. Don't run up ahead.
- Only go to lighted houses. Don't walk into unlit alleys or behind darkened bushes or cars.
- Don't take anything from or go over to a stranger in a car or walking on the street. If you do not recognize someone that tries to call you over or if someone makes you feel uncomfortable, tell an adult that you know.
- If your teenager is driving on Halloween, remind them to be extra careful of children on the neighborhood streets and drive cautiously under the speed limit.
Costume Safety is a Very Important Issue
When preparing a costume one should consider what will be done while wearing it. In the case of Halloween, a lot of walking, going up and down steps and stepping off and on curbs will be the main actions. To avoid tripping, make sure the costume is not too long. One should not have to lift the skirt to keep from stepping on it and falling.
If a mask is to be worn, make sure the eyeholes are cut correctly for peripheral vision as well as for looking down. The mask should not obstruct vision when going up or down steps. One of the main colors of Halloween is the color black. In order to be seen by oncoming cars while wearing a dark colored costume one should apply reflective tape to the costume or use glow-sticks and carry a flashlight. Another thing to consider on Halloween is that many people still use Pumpkins with candles for decorations. Make sure the costume is flame retardant.
Rules Parents Should Enforce
- Set a boundary. Children should be shown the route they are expected to stay within.
- Set a time limit. Children should wear a watch and know the time they have to be home.
- Know the names of all children in the group and exchange phone numbers with the parents. Any child off alone should know his own phone number.
- Seriously consider if the child is responsible enough to go off unsupervised with friends.
- Always walk with small children.
- Insist on inspecting all candy and treats before anything is eaten.
Below is a timely list of tips from the Denver police, to keep your kids safe:
- Carefully check all candy before allowing your child to eat it.
- Eat only those treats still in their original unopened wrappers.
- Throw away candies if wrappers are faded, have holes or tears or signs of re-wrapping.
- Throw away all unwrapped candy.
- Check fruit and homemade treats for punctures or foreign bodies that may have been injected, such as pins, metal needles or razor blades. Allow your child to eat such items only if from someone you know and trust. Most treat makers are well intentioned, but it is not worth the risk.
- When in doubt throw it out!!!
"Child safety is important year round, but Halloween is an especially important time for parents and children to pay extra attention to their surroundings and not let their guard down," said Nancy McBride, National Safety Director of NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children). "It is important that parents exercise a few basic safety precautions to help ensure that Halloween is both fun and safe."
Halloween night can be as much fun for the adults as the children with just a little bit of planning and forethought. Young children need to be taught and no child is too old to be reminded of Halloween safety.
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