Tips to Stay Safe While Trick-or-Treating

It's almost here again, one of the best nights of the year. Free candy, dressing up, free candy, seeing friends, free candy, and free candy. Woo hoo. "Mom! How much longer until we can go trick-or-treating?!" "But I want to Go NOW!

Most parents have been through this. The excited child that just can't wait to get out into the night and fill his bags with candy. And most parents no the feeling of dread at having to make sure their child stays safe while trick-or-treating and make sure that their candy is safe. It's a crazy world out there and every year, something happens somewhere. Below are a few tips to make sure that the evening is a lot of fun for your child and perhaps will help calm your own fears.

First and foremost is safety while trick-or-treating. Make sure you accompany your child while they are out, or have a responsible adult with them. If they are old enough to be wandering the streets by themselves, then they are probably to old to be trick-or-treating anyways. If you child's costume is all dark in color, hang at least one glow-stick off of them. Better yet, two or three glow sticks will help people see them. Another trick is to give them the Halloween character flashlights. The lights will not only help them see, but will also help cars spot them. Reflective tape is another possibility.

While your child is going to and from houses, ask them to use sidewalks and driveways. Walking through yards is a good way to twist an ankle or break something that is hidden in the yard. A lot of homeowners will appreciate you for this and your child will too.

Never, ever, let you child go into a strangers home, even if you are right out at the curb. While they are out of your sight, there is just too much that could happen. While it's a sad testament to the way life is today, it is the reality of our world.

When you are picking out costumes, try to avoid one with long capes or high heals, and the like. These become tripping hazards the longer the night goes on. If they get under your shoes, you could be doing a face plant right on the sidewalk. Masks can make it hard to see. Most of them block your vision enough that you need to exercise extra caution.

Finally, make sure to check all the candy. This year's rumor is that someone is trying to slip drugs into home made rock candy. The easiest solution is the not let your child eat any home-made or home-wrapped candies. While this could ruin your perfect parent of the year award, it can also keep your child out of the hospital and healthy enough to go back to school and learn some more.

While there are probably hundreds of other tips on how to keep your child safe from harm, this is a quickie guide to help keep your child safe for another year.