Learn how to keep your kids safe this Halloween
The haunting season is upon us! Before we head out the door to pillage candy from our neighbors, let’s take into consideration some basic Halloween safety tips for parents so kids can have a truly magical night.
The Real Danger On Halloween
The biggest threat to kids each Halloween is being hit by a passing car. It’s not stranger danger or razor blades in candy. It’s your neighbor in a Corolla.
It’s dark, kids are hopped up on sugar and excited and that’s just not a good combination. So if you are driving during trick or treating, make sure you have your headlights on, slow down, and don’t assume that kids are going to be making safe decisions.
To help our kids be seen, we need to add glow sticks to their costumes or give them a flashlight. There are tons of great glow stick options out there and most of them can be found at the dollar store.
The wristbands are good, and there are even necklaces that can be cracked and worn all night. I think many small kids will like the glow sticks because they look cool so give them a color that matches their costumes. And when you do get some glow sticks, get two boxes. These are great to have as emergency lighting for power outages.
Halloween Safety Tip: Trick or Treat With Your Children
As a parent, I suggest at least one adult goes out with each trick-or-treat group to help make sure kids are being safe and know how to get home. If you are so inclined, wear a glow stick yourself and carry a flashlight. The flashlight on your phone does not count. Use an actual flashlight so you can have your phone ready to take pictures.
When you are out with the miniature hoard, make sure they know you are in charge. Don’t let the kids run on ahead because there is always one kid who has ADHD and is all over the place and there’s a kid who's clumsy and falls over. So move as a group and make sure everyone is with you before you head to the next house.
Also, keep the kids from going inside homes or garages. I know some people have miniature haunted houses and I suggest you stay out of them unless you know those people really well.
Halloween Safety Tip: Avoid Sex Offender Homes
And it’s your duty as a parent to know the homes that you are going to. You never want to end up at the home of a convicted child molester. To help you avoid those homes you can download the National Sex Offender Public Website app.
The NSOPW app will give you a list of the names and addresses of registered sex offenders within 3 miles of your current location so you can avoid those homes. Now, most offenders know they can’t participate in trick-or-treating. In many jurisdictions, the police will make contact with offenders and remind them of that. But still, it’s best to know this information even if it’s not Halloween.
Halloween Safety Tip: Checking Candy
If you grew up in the 80s like me, then you were scared by seemingly real-life terrors of strangers putting drugs and razors in trick-or-treat candy. Most of this turned out to be hype over a few small incidents around the country.
However, this year many police departments are warning parents of something called rainbow fentanyl. From what I’ve seen these circular, multicolored pills look like Sweet Tarts. And I do see where these could be mistaken for candy.
Some experts say these drugs are not being targeted at kids for Halloween. However, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram has been quoted as saying,
“Rainbow fentanyl — fentanyl pills and powder that come in a variety of bright colors, shapes, and sizes — is a deliberate effort by drug traffickers to drive addiction amongst kids and young adults."
I don’t think it’s bad to check your kids’ candy, the bigger concern may be if a kid mistakenly takes some from home and shares it with their friends at school. So coach your kids to only eat candy that has commercial packaging. Anything loose in a bag is not to be consumed.
And remember for all the dads out there, I’ll remind you that the Halloween Candy Dad Tax is 15% of the loot. Don’t short yourself, kings.
I hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!
