Halloween is one of the most anticipated nights of the year, and it’s not hard to imagine why. It’s a night where children don costumes of their favourite horror villains or superheroes, call out “Trick-or-Treat”, and collect all the candy they want. However, with all of the excitement, it is important to be cautious. Here are several tips to keep you and your little monsters safe!
- Make a Halloween plan
Planning a route with your children will help keep them safe while they’re out knocking on doors. Stay in neighbourhoods familiar to your family, whether it is your own neighbourhood or a friend’s. This way, there will be places that are safe for your children to go if they feel uncomfortable or scared. You should confirm with the people you know in specific neighbourhoods that it’s okay for their house to serve as a safe point in case your children become separated from their group of friends or yourself. Keep an eye on your children, especially if they’re too young to be out by themselves. If your children are older, ensure you know which areas they’ll be in throughout the night, and if possible provide them with a cellphone. Finally, it’s a good idea to set a curfew for your older children. While they may not like the idea of having to be home by a certain time, it’s better to know they’re safe then be sorry.
- Stay visible to drivers
Since the roads are often busy on Halloween, make sure your children aren’t zigzagging across the road. People tend to take their cars out to have a warm place to rest when their children are in need of a break, and it allows them to get to destinations faster. Carry out your trick-or-treating on one side of the road before safely crossing to the other. Remind your children before they go out (if they’re going out without you) to look both ways before crossing the street and to maintain eye-contact with drivers. If you’re out with your children, be sure stop them from running out onto the road. As some costumes are hard to spot once the sky darkens, it may be a good idea to put reflective tape on their costumes and bags. Also, carrying a flashlight will help drivers see you and your children while you’re out for the night.
- Visit houses with the porch lights on
Even in a neighbourhood you’re familiar with, it’s better for your children to only visit the houses with lights on. It’s an unspoken rule of Halloween that a house with its lights turned off indicates the owners are not up for scary little visitors, but those with their lights on are fair game. Most homeowners who are willing to take part in Halloween will have decorations set up in the front yard, but you should still remind your children to never go into a stranger’s home. Stay in well-lit areas! This will keep your family safe from harm.
- Check your children’s candy
Once the night is over and you’ve settled down in the comfort of your home with your children, be sure to check the candy they have collected before eating. Remind your children, while out trick-or-treating, not to eat the candy before they get home. Any treats that have been torn open or aren’t wrapped should be thrown out. Even homemade treats should be put into the trash as well, even if they were made with good intentions. Sorting through their candy at home, you’ll be able to inspect what they’ve gotten and keep them safe.
Halloween is exciting and it’s the only night where children can enjoy the fresh air while collecting enough candy to last them until the next holiday. However, while Halloween is full of laughter and spooky skeletons, it’s very important to stay vigilant and make sure your children are safe. Make sure the only scares are from the ghost and ghoul decorations in your neighbours yard.
