5 Tips for Staying Safe on Halloween

Halloween is such a fun time of the year for children; but when children

encounter tricks instead of treats, this holiday can become very scary –

and not just because of the decorations and frightening costumes.

Abductions, bullying, candy that has been compromised; these are all

things that can make Halloween a dreadful holiday for children and

parents alike.

In order to keep your kids safe this Halloween, educate them before

they put on their costumes and start knocking on the neighbors doors.

Here are 5 tips that can help keep those little ghosts and ghouls safe

this – and every – Halloween.

Plan a Route. Before your kids hit the town to gather goodies, plan a

route for them. It should be one that leads them through well-lit areas

that are heavily populated. The lighter the area and the more people

around, the less likely there will danger lurking. Make sure to discuss

the route with your kids beforehand.

Give them a Cell Phone. You may not want your kids to have a cell

phone on a regular basis, but on Halloween, you might want to make an

exception. Pre-program the phone with emergency contact numbers so

that if there is an emergency, your child will be able to easily call for

help. Also, it will allow you to call and check up on your child at regular

intervals. They’ll have the freedom to trick-or-treat by themselves, but

you’ll still be able to keep a watchful eye, or ear, on them.

Talk to Your Child About Potential Dangers. Discuss possible scenarios

that could occur that would be dangerous. For example, what they

should do if someone tries to ask them to get into their car, or go into

their house. Provide them with the right response so that they know

how to react and so that they can avoid a potentially dangerous

situation.

Light them Up. Give you children flashlights or have them wear glow

bracelets or necklaces while they are trick-or-treating. Doing so will

allow them to not only see what is around them, but will allow others to

easily see them. Cars can be a particular danger while walking on dark

streets; lighting up your kids will make them more visible to drivers.

Don’t Eat Candy! Of course, children are going to find it difficult to keep

their goodies out of their mouths; however, you really need to stress the

importance of waiting until they get home to eat their candy. Once they

get home, you can inspect them to make sure they are safe. Spread the

candy out and go through it together. Remove anything that is

unwrapped or looks questionable. And while homemade treats may

seem like a nice gesture, there is no telling what is inside of them, so nix

them.

Your kids can have fun while being independent this Halloween. By

following these 5 tips, you can ensure that they have plenty of treats

and avoid any tricks.

Of course, anything we can do to help kids make better decisions will only add to their overall safety, so here’s a bonus tip: Age-specific martial arts training helps kids self-regulate their emotions, build healthy social relationships (including strong boundaries), and teaches them to always be alert.  Check out our kids martial arts classes by clicking HERE