Safe Halloween Practices

If your kids are going door-to-door this year, it really does pay to make them as safe as possible. Don't you think? Your son or daughter may want to be a vampire or a witch for Halloween but if you can, urge them to be something with a little more color.

Buy bright costumes. Drivers and other people will be able to see your child much better if they are wearing yellow or green as opposed to brown or black. I also recommend something reflective, just in case. Safety tape can be bought very cheaply at auto stores and you can apply it to costumes, shoes, caps, etcetera.

Use flashlights. Honestly, this one should be a rule. Pocket flashlights are extremely cheap, and most cell-phones today also have some sort of light function. Kids don't always pay attention but if they have flashlights, their chances of getting hit or abducted go down considerably. You can also use those glow sticks, as they stay lit for hours.

Stay in neighborhoods you know. It may be tempting to go across town for whatever reason, but I recommend staying within a couple blocks of home, if at all possible. People who actually know your kids might be less prone to hurt them.

Watch your kids at all times. Talking to other parents you see at the end of driveways is fine, but don't get so wrapped up in conversation that you lose sight of the children. It is truly unbelievable how quickly tragedies can occur.

Check the goodie bags at home. Seriously, do this. It may seem like kind of a chore to go through each and every piece of candy or bag of peanuts, but it can definitely save a life. Not everyone in the world is nice or mentally balanced; some adults want to hurt children. Don't let them hurt yours.