No one likes to talk about it, but the truth is we live in a day and age where the neighbor next door might not be as neighborly as you would hope. Here are some simple tips to keep in mind to stay safe while Trick or Treating as well as other Halloween celebrations:
– Two is good, but three, four and more is better. Groups are less likely to be bothered by unsavory characters.
– Plan your route in advance of heading out for trick or treating. It’s also a decent idea to make sure there are no sex offenders in your area via sites like the Florida Sexual Offender/Predator Registry.
– Wear reflectors or reflective tape to be visible to drivers at night and carry a flashlight with you.
– Don’t let your children have any candy that is unwrapped or any homemade baked goods unless you know and trust the person giving it to them.
– Inspect candy for broken wrappers and tampering before consumption. Give your children a meal before they go trick or treating to avoid snacking and bring a couple of pieces of candy from your own candy bowl if you really don’t want to make them wait until they get home to indulge.
– Before applying makeup for yourself or for your child’s costume, test it on a small area of skin first to make sure you’re not allergic to it.
– Remove Halloween makeup before bed with a cleanser to avoid skin and eye irritation and potential infection.
– Test wearing costumes before Halloween celebrations to make sure they fit and give decent visibility to avoid vision impairment and things like tripping over fabric.
– Don’t go into the homes of strangers. Even if they seem nice and want to show off their haunted house only go inside unless you know and trust the owner.
– Avoid candles and tiki torches and/or wear costumes that are not made from highly flammable material.
– If your kids are going to a Halloween party make sure you know the hosts and whether or not chaperones will be present throughout the event.