Halloween is a time when children of all ages can dress up and have a good time. However, it is also a time when taking safety precautions is vital to prevent the fun on Halloween night turning into a tragedy. Halloween safety involves a good deal of practical common sense but in the excitement of the night that common sense can often be forgotten. Planning ahead can help to make safety part of your family's Halloween routine.
Sadly, some people have been known to lace some treats with dangerous items such as razorblades, bleach or drugs. So, it is important for a parent to do their best to make sure their children don't become a victim of such behavior. A good start is to establish a policy with your children that they are not allowed to accept any unwrapped food such as apples or cookies. Also set the rule that they are not allowed to eat any of their candy until it has been brought back home and you have had a chance to check over every item in their bags for any signs of tampering. Some hospitals make their x-ray machines available on Halloween night so even wrapped candy can get a good examination. If your local hospital is one that offers this service make it your last stop on the night. Usually they make the atmosphere fun so your children are likely to think it is just part of the Halloween fun. Of course the temptation to tuck in to such a large amount of candy will be difficult so make sure they eat a large dinner before they set out on Halloween night so they are less tempted to raid their goodie bags.
Of course, they have to collect the candy first and that means going out trick or treating. Children bellow a certain age should always be accompanied by a responsible adult that will be able to make the judgment calls they may not be capable of making. Never let a child enter a house without their chaperone. It is tempting to hang back a little bit to let them knock on the doors by themselves. There isn't anything wrong with that but make sure they are never out of your sight.
Older children that go out on their own should be required to provide their parents of a general plan for their trick or treating. That way you have an idea of what houses they will be visiting and roughly when they will be there. If they having mobile phones arrange a variety of times that they are required to call you and touch base. If they miss a call and aren't answering their phone you should then be able to use the plan they drew up to know where to look for them.
Safety precautions should also be taken into consideration when helping your child select their Halloween costume. If their Halloween costume includes a mask make sure that the eye holes in the mask are large enough that your child can see clearly out of them in all directions. This is particularly important if they are trick or treating on foot and will have to safely cross from one street to another. Making sure the costume isn't too long for them is also important so that they aren't in danger or tripping over the bottom. Falling down can be embarrassing but it an also be very dangerous if they are crossing a road. Also, since there are a lot of candles around on Halloween night it is a good idea to check that the costume is made out of flame-retardant material.
Taking a few simple safety measures can help to make sure you family's memories of Halloween night are joyful and not full of regret.
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