With Halloween on a weekend this year, it’s important to be extra careful if you or your kids are going out trick or treating (no judgment if you’re candy collecting and you’re over 25 ;))
Here are a few tips to make sure that your kids (and you) stay safe and have fun this weekend.
–Now, we all know it’s not “cool” for parents to go trick or treating with their kids, but let’s face it, there are some freaky people out there. Make sure your kids at least have their cell phone and check in with you every hour, telling you where they are and where they’re going. If a cell phone is out of the question, have check-in points and make sure Bobby meets you at the corner of This Way and That Way at 4:00 pm.
–If your kids are going in a group, talk to the parents and get an idea of what the pack will be wearing. Tell your kids that they’ll get extra candy if they stop in at the house of one of the kids in the group 😉
–Speaking of candy, make sure you go through EVERYTHING, and I mean EVERYTHING before your kids start diving in. If you’re walking along side them, carry a separate bag that they can dumb into after every house or so to eliminate the temptation of snaking along the way. You can also have them eat a taffy apple or pumpkin pie before hand in an effort to curb the sweet tooth.
–Flashlights and glowsticks are a MUST if trick or treating after dark. You can also find reflective devices to put on your kids’ shoes to make them easier to see.
–Be smart about costume choice. Make sure the costume doesn’t drag or get in the way if your kid has to run. I speak from experience here…make sure shoes are walkable…no matter how much your daughter might want to wear those high heel Barbie shoes…it won’t last long. Have her decorate a pair of $5.00 tennis shoes with glitter and jewels and she’ll be ready to go.
–Perhaps the best thing you could do is to be honest with your kids. Tell them the truth about stranger danger and entering houses of people they don’t know.
–If your kids are going to a party, make sure they know not to accept drinks/food from strangers. It also wouldn’t hurt to phone the parents and make sure they know a party is going on in the house. It’s nearly a proven fact that if you try to withhold your kids, they’ll just do it anyway…so make sure they understand where you’re coming from…and if you allow them to go out on the condition that they adhere to curfew and check in’s, you shouldn’t run into any problems.
–Along those lines, it might not be a bad idea to drive and pick up your kids from their Halloween festivities. That way they can still have their freedom and you can still have your sanity.
Knowledge is power! Learn fun facts, hints and tips, and creative ways to use every day items with “The Buzz” posts on Thursday.
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