Helpful Halloween safety tips
We're lucky this year to have Halloween fall on a weekend this year, that means families with younger children may be able to start their trick-or-treating a little earlier in the day. Regardless though, families should remember some basic safety tips to make their festivities enjoyable and safe.
As parents it's always important to use our own good judgement, however I wanted to send along these tips courtesy of the City of Ann Arbor Police Services:
RISKY ROADWAYS • Children become careless from excitement and may run into the road - Watch out for traffic at all times! • Dusk is the time of poorest visibility for drivers - Try to Trick or Treat while it is still daylight or in well lit neighborhoods. • Choose a costume that is easy to walk in, easy to see out of and one that can be seen by drivers - Add reflective tape or lighted wands to make your child more visible if possible.
DANGEROUS DRESS • Loose costumes, oversized bags, sharp or pointed weapons or unsafe shoes can cause falls or accidents - Plan accordingly for comfort and safety. • If wearing a mask, choose one that is cool, comfortable and easy to see out of. Also don't forget to remind older children who may be doing their own trick-or-treat walking to take off the mask before crossing any streets. Better yet, have them wear make-up instead of a mask!
FRIGHTFUL FLAMES • Billowing hair and costumes are dangerous around open flames - Look for costumes that are labeled "Flame Resistant."
OTHER RESOURCES FOR HALLOWEEN SAFETY Halloween Costume Safety on Parenthood.com U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission Home Safety Council - Halloween Safety
All of the above listed tips are great reminders to us, as we plan our Halloween parties, costumes and fun. As parents though, our best defense is to listen to our inner voices and to pass along our experiences and knowledge to our children. For example, one of my personal beliefs is that if I find open or "out of the ordinary" candy I go ahead and toss it. I subscribe to the "when in doubt throw it out" theory. It's not like my kids don't bring home a large enough haul as it is; Besides, I'm sure they won't miss a few less candies - or at least I HOPE they won't, otherwise this Mummy will be mighy unhappy to miss the late night treat-bucket raid!
I hope these precautions help to keep you and yours safe any happy this Halloween! After all, it's a night for tricks and treats … ghosts and goblins … haunts and horrors for kids of all ages, so ENJOY!
Tammy Mayrend is a Search Marketing professional who blogs on local activities for families at annarbormom.com.