With Halloween this Friday everyone is excited and running around picking up last minute costumes and candy, but in all our rushing around let’s not forget one of the most important priority’s for children – safety!  All children can think about is getting out there Friday night and grabbing up all that sugary candy in the time frame they get for trick-or-treating.  The heck with the little orange plastic pumpkins to carry their candy, now a days kids want a pillowcase to use because they can get a lot more candy in one of those! 

So when the kids (especially younger children) are getting ready to run out your door Friday night to head out into the neighborhood for some good old trick-or-treating it’s going to be up to us as adults to make sure our children are safe.  You can tell them time and time again to look both ways before crossing the street or don’t go into anybody’s house they don’t know, but all that goes in one ear and out the other Halloween night.  So again, you have to be their eyes, ears and voice of reason while you follow them around the neighborhood. 

Here are a few ways that we as parents can do to protect our children and keep them safe this Halloween:

• If you’re driving, you have to drive slowly and be aware of the children.  Watch for them to run out between cars or even the middle of the street.  When backing down your driveway be careful and look twice to make sure it’s clear.
• Have your child wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.  If your child’s costume doesn’t have any, have them wear a glow stick around their neck or pin it to their costume. 
• Check your child’s costume and make sure it’s not dragging the ground where they could trip and hurt themselves.  Halloween makeup is always a good substitution for a mask, however if they do wear one make sure they have nose and mouth openings and large enough eye holes so they can see clearly.
• Have them bring their candy home first before eating anything.  Go throught it with them and throw out anything “homemade”, wrappers that are opened, or anything else you’re not sure about.

Just remember your kids can have a great time trick-or-treating AND be safe at the same time.  And because safety is not your child’s priority Halloween night, it has to be yours!  Happy Haunting!