So, Let’s consider: Some Safety Tips For Halloween
OK, so the night of the ghosts and goblins is upon us… Yes folks it’s time again for Halloween! The night when kids young and old dress up as their favorite ghoul and go out for some gold…well, maybe some candy and other treats.
So, let’s look at a few safety tips to help insure your night out with the spirits is a safe one.
Safety starts at home!
Safety starts at home. So, make sure to remove any item that could harm a kid. This includes things like garden hoses across the lawn, toys, bikes, garden tools like rakes, and other lawn decorations or trash that could be a hazard to any little munchkin meandering by.
Make sure the sidewalks are swept of leaves, branches and anything else that could be a hazard and make sure that the outside areas are well lit and all light bulbs are working and in good order.
Finally, make sure your pets are out of the way and out of the picture. Nothing could ruin an evening faster than having Fido jump on a little child and scare them. Also, sometimes pets and little dressed up goblins don’t mix very well and giving Fido a vacation in the basement or on the back porch is a good idea.
Getting all dressed up
Looking the part of your favorite monster is what it’s all about, but let’s make sure that people can see you and your kids. Also make sure that the costumes can be seen at night and reflect light well. If they’re going to have to be dark like a witch’s dress, etc., put some reflective tape on the outfit and make sure the bag she’s carrying is reflective and highly visible in light.
Test out the outfit ahead of time. Make sure it fits well and your munchkin is comfortable walking around in it. Also, make sure you use non-toxic and non-allergenic makeups so that there’s less of a chance of any skin reactions.
As for swords, toy guns, etc., make sure that the swords are not sharp and that your kid knows how to be careful with them in a crowd. Also, remind them that if they’re approached by an officer that this is not the time to show them your toy gun.
Finally, be careful on the use of eye makeup and accessories in and around the eyes. Preferably avoid them as they can accidentally damage an eye. If you have any questions a quick consult with your pediatrician would be in order.
The fun part – trick or treating
This is the part where parents have the most responsibility. Make sure you have a good strong flashlight with fresh batteries and that you take your cell phone with you and that it’s fully charged. Always know where you are when you’re out with your kid in case you have to make that 9-1-1 call.
Only go to houses that have the lights on. People not participating in the evenings ghoulish activities generally will just simply turn off the front porch light as a signal. NEVER let the children go inside a home or car and make sure you go with them to the houses, but keep a safe distance as no little monsters want their parents interfering in the candy snatching.
Like the kids, make sure that people can see YOU at night as well. The same tips for light and reflective clothing applies to parents as well as kids.
Never let the kids cross across yards or run out into the streets from between cars. Remind them to cross as crossings only. Again, looking both ways before crossing any road is excellent advice. Don’t presume, make sure.
Other items
There’s always an “other” item and Halloween events are no exception.
Give your kids a good meal before they go out. This will help insure they don’t have an evening diet of just sugar.
Remind the kids to say “thank you”. This means a lot to those that are giving them the goodies.
I also heavily recommend that the kids hold off on diving into their loot until they get home and you’ve had a chance to look through it for any problem issues. It doesn’t happen very often, but you still need to be aware of tampered with candies and some home made goodies that may be best thrown out vs consumed.
Also, consider using gifts for your visitors that aren’t edibles. I know people that will use things like fifty cent pieces or small coloring books. A fifty cent piece, and you’ll have to arrange with your bank ahead of time on this, is the largest coin we now have in circulation and for little kids is a real wow’er. But then, this would also depend on how many kids you have coming to your door.
Try to limit how many and how fast your monsters dive into their loot. This helps them to not only enjoy them over a longer period of time, but it’s also a lot more healthy for them as well.
Have a fun and safe outing with your munchkins and I hope all your candies are good ones!
I’m Don Rima and that’s the view From Where I Stand.
