To make sure your kids have a fun Halloween night that’s also safe, these are the things you don’t want to do as a parent:
- Scaring your kid - Halloween is supposed to be scary for kids, but in a fun way. Some parents don’t seem to know that and they take them to adult horror movies or too-intense haunted houses. And some kids don’t even like trick-or-treating, so if your kid is one of them, let them skip it … unless you want to deal with a week of nightmares.
- Not taking safety seriously - Sugar-amped kids running around with costumes that limit their vision and grownups driving home drunk from Halloween parties is a potentially lethal combo. So help your kids stay safe by making sure they have a flashlight, glow stick and/or reflectors and that their costume doesn’t trip them. And most importantly, have a sober adult on guard duty with them.
- Freaking out about people slipping drugs in the candy - We’ve all heard the stories and warnings, but people sticking drugs, razors, or needles in candy isn’t really a thing. Just give the candy a once over and dont’ feel the need to x-ray it to make sure it’s safe.
- Letting your kids be rude - If they’re able, make sure they say “trick-or-treat” and give a big “thank you” after getting the candy.
- Giving out candy with nuts - Lots of kiddos have nut allergies, so if your treats contain nuts, consider having an alternative for them.
- Poor planning - Plan your route so you don’t end up hauling the dead weight of your exhausted five-year-old up a hill to get home at the end of the night.
- Skipping trick-or-treating altogether - Sure, Halloween is on a school night this year and we’re still in a pandemic, but trick-or-treating is a tradition and most kids love it, so suck it up and take them.
Getty Images