Halloween can be the most exciting time of year for kids of all ages. Amidst all the fun with costumes, friends and candy there is the potential for danger if children are not careful. It’s important that parents properly prepare their children, no matter what the age, of proper safety protocol and to follow while out on Halloween night. Ottawa home security
Costume Prep
With young children especially, it’s important that they have a proper fitting costume to avoid tripping which can lead to serious injury. Make an effort to try the costume on before Halloween night and see if any alterations need to be made. Also be certain that there are no harmful aspects to the costume. If there are additives or props associated with your child’s costume be sure they are not sharp or jagged. If a child falls while carrying a sharp object there is a higher risk of injury.
Consider adding some reflective material or tape to your kid’s costume to make for better visibility in the dark of the night. Even if you are going around with your child there is always the chance that the excitement of the night will overtake them and they can run out into the street. It’s best that they are easily visible to drivers in case of a quick getaway.
Trick-or-Treating with parental accompaniment
If you are taking out young children who will be going door to door with your supervision, it’s easier to keep track of them and to keep them safe. One of the most challenging things will be to convince them not to eat the candy before you get home and inspect it. Although you may trust your neighbors explicitly, candy thrown into a bucket can easily get confused with candy collected from a stranger’s house. All candy nibbling should be held off until after you get home and examine the loot.
Trick-or-Treating without parental accompaniment
Once your kids reach a certain age it is no longer “cool” or even socially acceptable to go out with your kids on Halloween night. This may be a difficult stage for parent’s to accept but it will eventually happen. It’s important that you spend enough time teaching your children how to have a safe Halloween night out. For their first few solo Halloween nights it may be helpful to draw a map and tell your children to stay within the outlined areas for trick-or-treating. Make sure you are familiar with the area and are as aware as you can be about the inhabitants. It’s likely not possible to know every single person in the area, but if there are people in your neighborhood you don’t feel comfortable with around children, stress to your kids to avoid these houses at all costs.
It’s important that your children know the route they will be taking on Halloween night because things can get confusing in the dark for younger first-time solo trick-or-treaters. The last thing you want is for your child to get lost and not be able to find their way home. For this reason you should turn to modern technology to assist you and put some sort of a GPS tracker on them. Or if you have an extra cell phone think about sending it with them so they can call you if they need your help.
Halloween night at a party
As kids get older they no longer want to go trick-or-treating and often turn to having house parties. Call ahead to the house where you know the party is going to be held and ensure there is parental supervision for the entire night. It’s best if you drop your child off and schedule an agreed upon pick up time. There can easily be drugs or alcohol at a house party and your children should be taught how to decline any unwanted substances. As children get into their teenage years it’ll be more difficult to control their activities while out with their friends, but hopefully you have instilled upon them some safety tips and good values to guide them while experiencing these years of peer pressure.
Halloween is an exciting night that if embraced with awareness can be extremely fun. Be proactive and give your family a safe and thrilling Halloween night!
