I’m an old-fashioned trick-or-treat lover. I can’t think of another holiday when people open up their homes to complete strangers for the purpose of giving. I endorse this spirit of cheer and charity by giving treats and having my children trick-or-treat.
If you decide to let your children trick-or-treat, use the tips below to make Halloween safe for your children and other trick-or-treaters:
• When selecting costumes, consider choosing bright colors that show up easily in the dark.
• Avoid costumes with masks that limit a child’s vision.
• Use a wearable light or reflectors to make your child’s costume more visible at night.
• Avoid driving on Halloween night.
• If you must drive, be very mindful of trick-or-treaters.
• If possible, trick-or-treat on residential streets that are not associated with heavy traffic.
• I recommend adult supervision for trick-or-treating children of all ages.
• Teach your child to never go into homes to get treats.
• Check your children’s treats before allowing them to eat them.
• Eat only wrapped, commercially-prepared treats unless you personally know the preparer of a homemade treat.
• Make sure treats are age-appropriate. Hard candies, small toys, and nuts pose high choking hazards especially in young children.
• Check that the walkway to your home is well-lit. If not, festive Halloween lights provide a fun way to accomplish this.
• To prevent fires and burns, consider using battery-lit “candles” rather than real candles to illuminate jack-o’ lanterns.
Halloween provides a great opportunity to teach our children about sharing.
I like to take my children trick-or-treating so they can see the generosity of others. I always ask them to say, "thank you" to teach them appreciation for what they have received. Finally, after we come home from a brief period of trick-or-treating, I ask them to help hand out treats to trick-or-treaters so they can experience the joy of sharing.
