Halloween is a fun filled holiday that allows kids and adults alike to dress up and explore their town. However, like every other day of the year, it can turn dangerous if the necessary precautions aren’t taken. So go out and enjoy your Halloween this year, but be sure to follow these safety tips to avoid disaster.
Halloween Costumes and masks should be flame resistant and fit well. Costumes that are too big can cause a child to trip over it and fall. Kids should have on reflective clothing or reflective tape and carry flashlights or glow sticks so that drivers and everyone else can easily see the children once it gets dark. Masks should not hinder a child’s vision. In fact, it is better to use face paint if you can instead of a mask for this reason. The face paint and other makeup should be non-toxic.
Children under that age of 13 should have adult supervision at all times. Teenagers over the age of 13 should trick or treat in groups or at least in a pair and should have a cell phone to call and check in with their parents. Be sure to let your children or teenagers know where they can trick or treat if you aren’t going to be with them and what to do if they get into trouble. Before your child or teenager leaves home, be sure to remind them to watch for traffic and always look both way before crossing the street. Adult should slow down and drive carefully at night.
Instruct your trick-or- treaters not to eat any candy until they get home and an adult has inspected it. Any candy that is not sealed in its original wrapper should be discarded. Even fresh fruit should not be eaten because it could have easily been tampered with. If it looks like the candy wrapper has been messed with or that the candy and been unwrapped and then wrapped again, discard it. The best practice here is to throw away any Halloween candy that looks even remotely tampered with or unwrapped. Better safe than sorry.
Halloween is a fun time of the year, so go out and enjoy it with your family and friends. Just be sure to educate your children of the dangers that do exist. Children and parents should always be aware of their surroundings and should not trust anyone who they don’t know very well.
