5 Tips on Keeping Your Kids Safe This Halloween
By Shondell Varcianna
October 30, 2015
Lifestyle
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Nothing is scarier than worrying about the things that can happen to your kids. However, even though Halloween is the time to of year to be scared, don’t let yourself fear for their safety. There are a lot of ways to keep your kids safe this Halloween.
For starters, here are five tips you can use with your kids this October:
1. Don’t let them out by themselves.
There is always safety in numbers, and that is never truer than on Halloween. When your kids are young, it is natural that you will go trick-or-treating with them – if only to see the look of excitement on their faces. However, as they get older, it can be tempting to give into their desires to be independent and let them go without you. That may be perfectly fine. However, even if you do not go with them, make sure they do not go alone. Whether it is with friends, an older sibling, or someone else you both trust, trick-or-treating is not only more fun with others, it is safer, as well.
2. Have them trick-or-treat at the homes of people you know.
You probably know how to examine your kids’ candy before you let them eat it. However, even when you take out open, loose, and suspicious looking candy, there is still a chance that the treats in their bags can really be tricks. In order to safeguard your chances, try sending your children to neighbors, friends, and family in order to ensure that you can feel confident in what they are being given.
3. Know the scare level they can tolerate.
It is easy to think about the physical health and wellbeing of your children on Halloween, but don’t forget about their mental health, either. When they ask you to visit a haunted house, watch a scary movie, or do any other scare-based, Halloween activity, make sure that they can handle it before you let them go. It may not seem that important, but if they go and cannot handle it, they can have nightmares and trauma for a long time to come.
4. Ensure their costumes are safe.
There are a lot of ways that a costume can be unsafe. For example, if it is too long, it might cause the child to trip and fall. One important safety consideration about the costume is its brightness level. If the child will be walking at night, you want to make sure that passing vehicles see them. Try to include bright colors and reflectors to make this easy.
5. Have them practice safe walking.
Not only are reflectors and lights important for your child while they are walking at dusk or night, but following the rules of being a pedestrian is important as well. Make sure that they look both ways before crossing the road, follow road signs and crossing signals, and only walk in places where they are suppose to be. All of these things combined can make your Halloween a little less scary – in a very good way.
Picture by Bill Turner
For starters, here are five tips you can use with your kids this October:
1. Don’t let them out by themselves.
There is always safety in numbers, and that is never truer than on Halloween. When your kids are young, it is natural that you will go trick-or-treating with them – if only to see the look of excitement on their faces. However, as they get older, it can be tempting to give into their desires to be independent and let them go without you. That may be perfectly fine. However, even if you do not go with them, make sure they do not go alone. Whether it is with friends, an older sibling, or someone else you both trust, trick-or-treating is not only more fun with others, it is safer, as well.
2. Have them trick-or-treat at the homes of people you know.
You probably know how to examine your kids’ candy before you let them eat it. However, even when you take out open, loose, and suspicious looking candy, there is still a chance that the treats in their bags can really be tricks. In order to safeguard your chances, try sending your children to neighbors, friends, and family in order to ensure that you can feel confident in what they are being given.
3. Know the scare level they can tolerate.
It is easy to think about the physical health and wellbeing of your children on Halloween, but don’t forget about their mental health, either. When they ask you to visit a haunted house, watch a scary movie, or do any other scare-based, Halloween activity, make sure that they can handle it before you let them go. It may not seem that important, but if they go and cannot handle it, they can have nightmares and trauma for a long time to come.
4. Ensure their costumes are safe.
There are a lot of ways that a costume can be unsafe. For example, if it is too long, it might cause the child to trip and fall. One important safety consideration about the costume is its brightness level. If the child will be walking at night, you want to make sure that passing vehicles see them. Try to include bright colors and reflectors to make this easy.
5. Have them practice safe walking.
Not only are reflectors and lights important for your child while they are walking at dusk or night, but following the rules of being a pedestrian is important as well. Make sure that they look both ways before crossing the road, follow road signs and crossing signals, and only walk in places where they are suppose to be. All of these things combined can make your Halloween a little less scary – in a very good way.
Picture by Bill Turner