Safety Tips to Be Mindful of For Halloween Trick-or-Treating

Halloween is a favorite time of year for kids everywhere to have fun and express themselves in a way they may not always get to.

They get to dress up as their favorite characters, they get to hang out with their friends, and they get all the free candy their hearts desire.

What does Halloween mean for parents?

For most, it's seeing the smiles on their children's faces. Its seeing the excitement of participating in all of the fun festivities happening around town and enjoying just being kids.

It's also time for everyone to keep safety at the forefront of their minds. With young ones walking the streets and all of the commotion going on, here are some tips and thoughts to remember when it comes time for trick-or-treating.

For drivers:

• Drive slowly and stay extra alert, especially in residential neighborhoods. Excited children can move quickly and in unpredictable ways. Watch out for kids at medians, curbs, and intersections.
• When entering and exiting driveways or alleys, drive slowly and carefully.
• Put away your phone, and allow no distractions. Focus on the road and on your surroundings.
• Consider keeping headlights on even before sunset to spot children from a distance.

For Parents or Guardians:

• Consider keeping children under 12 supervised no matter where you are trick-or-treating.
• Do your best to prevent children from running from house to house.
• Flashlights are a good idea to keep handy when it gets dark.
• It may be a good idea to avoid houses that don't have their porch lights on.
• Keep eyes on the kiddos and not on your phone.

One thing that really caught my eye was a post on Facebook that serves as a reminder for those who are handing out candy. The tips were some things that I don't think we consider often enough.

These are some great things to keep in mind that we might night think of.

Also, there I came across some good tips for parents after returning home. When sorting through the candy your child has collected,  this is something you might want to do before letting the kids dive in.

• Dispose of all:
  • candy with torn packages, holes, or opened wrapping
  • expired items
  • anything that might seem questionable

The most important thing to remember is to have fun! It's such a great experience watching all of the kiddos express themselves so creatively during Halloween and see all the new costumes that come around every year.

Happy spooky season!