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Tip of the month
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Halloween may be a
fun holiday for kids, but for parents, trick-or-treat time can be a little
tricky. Concerns about children's safety - whether they are out in the
neighborhood or back home with bags of candy - can darken the day more quickly
than a black cat. But not to worry ! To make Halloween a treat for all, follow
these safety tips as provided by the National Crime Prevention Council:
DRESS SAFELY
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Check that the
costumes are flame retardant so the little ones aren't in danger near burning
jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
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Keep costumes short
to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
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Try make-up instead
of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable and more importantly, they can
obstruct a child's vision - a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and
going up and down steps.
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Make sure kids wear
light colors, put reflective tape or attach chemical light sticks to their
costumes.
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Trick-or-treaters
always should be in groups so they aren't a tempting target for real-life
goblins. Parents should accompany young children.
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TROUBLE FREE FUN
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Make sure older kids
trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so parents know
where they'll be. Tell them to stop only at familiar homes where outside lights
are on.
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Try to get your kids
to trick-or-treat while its still light out. If it's dark, make sure someone has
a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
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Make sure kids know
not to enter strange houses or strangers' cars.
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TREATS
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Kids need to know
not to eat their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters
from digging in while they're still out is to feed them a meal or a snack
beforehand.
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Check out all treats
at home in a well-lighted place.
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What to eat? Only
unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don't forget to
inspect fruit and home-made goodies for anything suspicious. By all means,
remind kids not to eat everything at once or they'll be feeling pretty ghoulish
for awhile!
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CONSIDER THIS
Parents and kids can
avoid trick-or-treating troubles entirely by organizing a Halloween costume
party with treats, games, contests, music, scary stories and much more. Make
your Halloween party the place to be! Schools, fire fighters, libraries or civic
groups in many communities organize “haunted houses” and other Halloween
festivities for families. Many shopping malls now sponsor indoor
trick-or-treating in a safe and secure environment.
 DRESSED
& DANGEROUS
Halloween blood and
gore are harmless stuff for the most part. But sometimes dressing up as a
superhero, a swashbuckling pirate, or an alien from outer space coupled with the
excitement of Halloween brings out aggressive behavior.
Even fake knives,
swords, guns and other costume accessories can hurt people. If these objects are
part of a child’s costume, make sure they are made from cardboard or other
flexible materials. Better yet, challenge kids to create costumes that don’t
need “weapons” to be scary and fun.
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