Friday, October 28, 2011

Safety Tips for Halloween and other times too!




Halloween is coming up soon, this Monday Oct 31.  Here's some safety tips for you and your kids:
  • Do you only give sealed packaged goodies like mini candy bars? You SHOULD. Unwrapped or homemade treats will be thrown away by prudent parents.
  • Do keep an eye out for the kids while your are driving home - Remember the young ones and their parents often start visiting by 5:00.
  • Do your kids see and breath well in their costumes?
  • Can your kids be seen easily by drivers and other trick or treaters.
  • Do you always make sure your kids go trick or treating with a group and a parent (if your kids are teenagers, they may not need the parent but they should still never go out alone, have them in a group).
  • Do make sure our kids each carry a flashlight to light their way - flashlights are inexpensive but the kids are everything.
  • Do you make sure your kids only trick or treat in areas you feel are safe? (I've seen some areas I wouldn't let my kids walk through anytime.)
  • If there is a dangerous situation in the area, you can host a Halloween party at home instead of having the kids trick or treat, if necessary or check to see if a local mall or business district is hosting a Halloween night complete with candy for the kids to trick or treat for at each store.
  • Do not permit your kids eat their collected treats until they get home (and until you've had a chance to check their treats first).
  • If possible, have each of your kids carry a cell phone with them.
  • Do set a time for your older kids to return home if you are not going out with them.
  • Do not tolerate violence or nastiness of any sort and make sure that your kids aren't involved in such things.
  • Do have a zero tolerance policy for violence either on your kids part or their friends (no soaping, egging or TP-ing houses or cars, etc).
  • Above all - Make sure your kids are aware of basic stranger danger safety tips (Remind them: don't ever go into a stranger's home, never give out their personal information to a stranger, never walk to the back of a house even if the sign on the door says to do so, if someone needs help, or if another child or pet is lost, they should be asking the police for help, etc).

The above tips and some common sense should help you and your kids have a happy and safe Halloween.