Keeping Your Family Safe This Halloween
It’s that time of year when monsters are running throughout the streets and free candy is everywhere. Your kids’ main concerns are likely about their costumes or which houses will have the best treats. As parents, we need to also make sure our children and property are as safe as possible. Unfortunately, Halloween is a dangerous night of the year with troublemakers out and about as well as a spike in car-related accidents. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind this holiday so you and your family will be able to worry less.
Keep the kids safe
Whether you’ll be taking your kids out trick-or-treating or they’re old enough to go out alone, be sure to prepare well and keep safety in mind.
Costume – Take care when helping your child pick an outfit to make sure they’ll be safe and comfortable as they’re running from house to house on Halloween. First, make sure that their costume does not obstruct their view. It’s a good idea to choose face paint over masks so kids can see any obstacles in their paths and won’t get lost from the group. Next, add to your children’s costumes to make sure they’re easily seen by cars. Whether you give them glow sticks to hold onto or stick reflective tape to their costume, this is an important tip that shouldn’t be overlooked. Lastly, make sure they’re warm enough. Often, costumes don’t account for colder weather, so be sure to add a long sleeve shirt underneath or tights for a skirt so your kids don’t get chilly while running around.
Candy Route – While your kids are worrying about whether or not there will be houses that pass out full-size candy bars, try to map out the best areas to visit on Halloween to make your night go as smoothly as possible. While figuring out which neighborhoods to swing by, check out what times they typically do trick-or-treating in that area. This way, you won’t be bothering anyone by showing up too early or too late. Mapping out a candy route is especially helpful to do with older kids that can go out alone. They’ll know for sure which way to go and you’ll have a better idea of where they are and when they’ll be home.
Keep the home safe
With vandals roaming around as well as kids running up to your door to ask for candy, it’s necessary to keep your home safe for your family and the neighborhood children.
Trick-or-Treat Path – Since you will have so many visitors running up and down your driveway (and likely through your yard), it’s important to create a clear path in front of your house. Children often aren’t worried about tripping when they hear the house next door has great candy, so try to avoid any falls or injuries by removing any hazards in your yard and walkway.
Protect Your Home – Unfortunately, the creepy feeling in the air on Halloween is not just because of witches and monsters. Studies show that crime spikes on Halloween – often in the form of vandalism. Take necessary precautions to protect your home and vehicles from those up to no good. Always check before opening the door and keep lights on outside so you can keep an eye on things. If you have a home security system, make sure all your sensors are functioning properly to protect your property.
These are just a few tips of many to keep in mind before trick-or-treating starts this Halloween. For more tips, check out pages like SimpliSafe’s Twitter, Safe Kids, and the CDC. What are some ways you keep your loved ones safe on Halloween?
By Cami Smith, SimpliSafe.com, Image by Beth Teutschmann on Unsplash