Tips for a fun and safe Halloween
Show of hands from all the procrastinator parents, the ones who wait until the 11th hour to gather Halloween costumes.
Yeah, me too.
When my grade-school-age children were but wee humans, I remember thinking how much fun Halloween was going to be. As children, my siblings and I never really went trick or treating, which allowed me to be even more excited about years to come with my own kids. Dressing my children up in cute costumes that could be used against them in the teen years sounded like fun. Plus, I just knew they would enjoy all the energy that went along with this day.
What in the heck was I thinking?
After a quick Google I figured out that according to the internet, I should be afraid to let my child step outside on Halloween, much less allow them to ask people for candy. Pretty sure we as parents are supposed to keep them from conversing with strangers in exchange for sweets. The misfortune of Hansel and Gretel comes to mind.
However, one look into their excited eyes and I knew there was no way I could say no to those currently sweet faces. So instead of allowing the fear of “what if” to dictate what they could or could not do, I read more, asked questions, and talked to other parents. Turns out that Trick or Treating with kids is not the the big and scary deal that it is often portrayed as.
Below I have compiled my personal favorite, tried and true, tips and tricks for a safe and fun trick or treating experience.
Stay supervised
Make sure your kids stay with a trusted (sober) grown-up. If there is no grown-up around and they are old enough to go alone, then provide a cell phone for them to use should they have an emergency.
Plan a route
Know where they are going to trick or treat and instruct them not to deviate from that plan. Incase you were wondering, No, it is not ok to jump out from behind bushes and scare the little ones; teenagers are fair game though.
Go as a group
Encourage your children to stay together in order to avoid the dangers that can accompany a solo adventure. If that fails and you catch wind that they plan to break up, threaten to make them listen to Breaking Up Is Hard To do by Neil Sedaka until they renege on those plans.
Inspect treats
Instruct your youngin(s) not to eat any candy until you can inspect it. This has the dual purposes of allowing you to look through it for safety hazards while giving you the chance to pick out the good stuff for yourself.
Stay visible
Make sure your children wear or carry something that lights up. This makes them easier to keep track of. Remember, it is important that you come back with the same amount of kids you left with.
Know your neighborhood
Only trick or treat at well lit, welcoming houses. We have all seen that horror movie and know that nothing good comes from knocking on doors with no lights on, late at night.
Get comfortable
Encourage the trick or treaters in your care to wear comfortable shoes. Princes shoes and Ninja Turtle toes are all fun and games until someone gets a blister.
Practice makes perfect
Let them practice paying attention to their surroundings and trust their intuition by using these tips. If something doesn’t feel or seem right, it probably isn’t.
As for grown-ups– Don’t text and drive! This should go without saying. Be aware of all the trick-or-treaters floating around and save that text for home.
Finally, when you purchase the candy that your household will be handing out, pick up an extra bottle of wine. Because parenting is work and wine pairs great with confiscated candy.
So, enjoy your Halloween, soak up each moment with your little one(s) and wait to break out the reserved wine until everyone is home and you have checked over the kids candy.
Photograph Credit: Pexels
This story was written for CharlotteFive’s latest channel for parents in the QC, called QC Playground. Sign up for the weekly QC Playground newsletter here.
This story was originally published October 22, 2017 at 9:00 PM with the headline "Tips for a fun and safe Halloween."