Your kids are super-excited to get ready for Halloween in their spookily special costumes and go out to collect their candies and gifts, and the one thing as a parent you are concerned about is their safety. Obviously, you should be and that is when you think of ideas to help kids remain safe while they go trick-or-treating. You discuss with your friends, read articles and what not, to make sure that Halloween remains a happy time for you and your family. So, here we are going to help you with some essential tips coming from American Academy of Pediatrics. Check these out to ensure that your family and kids remain happy, healthy, and safe on Halloween:
Some kids may try to throw a tantrum at this one, but you should make sure that they have dinner before going out. This way, your kids will not snack on the treats they collect on their way and just focus on actually enjoying collection their treats.
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The route should be discussed with the kids prior to heading out. If your kids are young, then either you or any other responsible adult should be escorting them and they should know about the route. And if your kids are old enough to go on their own, then they should be involved in the planning process and mutually you all should decide as to which route to take up.
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Wearing masks can reduce the visibility of kids. So, it is always a better idea to use non-toxic make-up on kids’ faces for the special look that they want on Halloween. But, here too you need to play safe. You should test a small patch on their skin before the big day to make sure that there are no bad reactions from the make-up on the holiday.
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When you go out shopping for costumes, accessories or wigs; do check out the labels which say that the material is flame resistant. Also, make sure that the kids don’t swap their wigs or else you will not know when your child may have a lice-attack.
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Although, with the whole spooky feel of the festival it might be a tough task to find things which are not dark in color, but try to find bright costumes for your little monsters. If not the entire costume, at least some portions of the dress should be bright in color so that they can be seen in the dark.
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If you have not been able to arrange a bright costume, then fret not! You can add a few stripes of reflective tapes on either their costumes or on their bags, and then the drivers will be able to see clearly that kids are out on the road.
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Every kid in the group should have a properly functioning flashlight with him/her. You may never know how dark it might get on some roads, so it is always better to be safe this way.
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If the costume of your kid has an accessory with it, like a sword or a cane or stick, then make sure it is not sharp and long. You would certainly not want to hurt others’ kids as well as your baby because big accessories can become a hindrance while walking.
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If the person is someone you and your kids know, then you may take a look at their spooky decorations, but in general, ask your kids to not enter into anyone’s house or even a car to get their treat. Also, ask your kids to go only to houses where there are porch lights on.
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Even if you are ahead of your group, wait for them to join in and then cross the roads. Large groups are much more visible to drivers than the lone trick-or-treater on the road.
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Review with your kids that they know to call 911 or the local emergency number and ask them to call when they feel it is an emergency.
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Pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries on Halloween, so make sure your kids know what to do and what not to do when they are on the main roads. We have already discussed that they should cross the streets in groups, and other than that some other precautions should also be taken for proper safety on roads. Some of the major ones are:
• Always walk on well-lit roads and use the sidewalk.
• If there is no sidewalk, then walk on the far edge of the road to avoid traffic.
• Do not cross between parked cars and out driveways.
• Walk on the established crosswalks.
• Wait for all the cars to stop when crossing the road.
• Do not cross yards or use the alleys.
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It is always a good idea to discuss and decide on the time around which the kids should be back home before they head out. When they are enjoying their special holiday, they may lose track of time and you do not want them to be out till late at night.
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Although cases of tampering with candies are not so common; experts still believe that all the treats should be thoroughly checked by the parents. Throw away everything that might be unhealthy or dangerous for your kid.
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Your kids have worked hard to get their sugar treats and they would certainly want to chow down most of the sweets when they get back home. But you should take care that they do not eat all of it at once. You can even play an interesting game to ration the treats. You can say that you would want to know who can hold onto their candies for the longest period of time and then declare the winner at the end. This competition can run for a few days or even weeks for that matter.
We hope these tips will make your holiday a healthy and a happy one. If you like these, then do not forget to share them with your friends and family. Let us all have a Happy Halloween!
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