Trick or treating will be happening within the next week's on various days all around the United States. There are twelve tips to help keep your trick or treaters having fun and safe at the same time.
1. Wear comfortable shoes. Avoid heels or other shoes that will make feet hurt if not used to wearing. Make sure shoestrings are tied. Or better yet, find shoes that don't tie for little ones. As shoe strings can be a tripping hazard.
2. If trick or treating happens at dusk or night, carry a flashlight or glow stick to light your path. Wear a reflective vest or other reflective gear that will be seen by those with flashlights.
3. Make sure masks are easy to see out of and will not fall down covering your loved ones eyes. Better yet, use those face mask paints and paint a face mask on your child. This avoids not being able to see clearly out of the mask or the mask falling and covering the child's eyes.
4. Know where you will be trick or treating. Go for the four houses with lights on side beside compared to that lone house sitting by it self down the street. Do not take shortcuts through dark alleys or other places you would never do otherwise.
5. Spot the location you will be trick or treating in. Familiarize yourself with the route if you are not already. That way you know the pitfalls you need to avoid or go around.
6. Make sure the props are light and flexible. That way your child can't hurt themselves or others with it.
7. Cross the street at corners. If you must cross the street in the middle of the road, make sure you look both ways before crossing. Driving, look out for trick or treating who may dart out in front of you. Do not walk down the middle of the street when vehicles are going both ways.
8. If your child is not old enough to stay home alone, they are not old enough to go trick or treating alone. Make sure your children are old enough to go trick or treating on their own and are properly trained what to do and where to go.
9. Only knock on door with lights on. As those indicate they are handing out candy. Preferable only to houses you know but with families stretched across America, that can be hard when you don't know anyone.
10. Never go inside a trick or treaters home unless you know them. Simply instruct your little one to stand outside and wait to receive candy. If the stranger persists in you coming in, leave and go to another house.
11. If your trick or treater is old enough to go on their own. Designate a time and place to meet at. Carrying a cell phone is a great way to stay in contact. Remind your child the cell phone is for emergencies only.
12. Make sure the trick or treaters knwo the candy is for gathering. Not for eating. Once the candy is gathered, you can take them to a place in your area that will check the candy for you. If you are not sure where one of those are and must do it yourself, make sure to throw out any candy that is open, has a hole in it, is partially there or looked smashed or crushed.
A few things you may consider buying to keep your trick or treater safe
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have challenged myself to write every day something that is related to Halloween. As Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, next to Christmas. I created a post called "October 2016 Writing Challenges", it is where I am getting my ideas to write the entire month.
Photo from Pixabay.
