Halloween Should be Spooky not Scary

Halloween is a fun and exciting night for kids and adults, but the fun can end quickly if people don’t do their part to keep the night safe for everyone. Remember these tips to ensure that your children arrive home safe at the end of the night.

For many people the most fun part of Halloween is finding the perfect costume and getting to spend the entire night in disguise. When helping your child get ready for the night it’s important to take note of the weather. Evenings can get very cold by the end of October so consider dressing your children in layers or bringing extra clothing with you if you’ll be accompanying your children. Be sure that your child’s costume fits properly and will not create a tripping hazard when they are walking around; watch out for capes, cloaks and other common Halloween accessories. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure that they can always see properly. Face paint is an excellent alternative that allows you to avoid compromising your child’s vision. Parents should seek out costumes made of flame-resistant materials and remind their children to be cautious around candles and other fire sources that are popular around Halloween.

If your kids are old enough to trick-or-treat on their own, make sure to have everything planned out before they leave the house. Parents should discuss the route their children plan to take, how long they plan to trick-or-treat, who they are trick-or-treating with, and when they are expected to arrive back home. Trick-or-treaters should travel in groups of four or five. If they don’t have their own phone, children should be provided with a card that has their home address, parents’ contact information and any important medical information in case of an emergency. Children should be told that they cannot eat their candy until their parents or a trusted adult has had a chance to inspect it. Children should know that they should never enter a stranger’s house or car; candy should only be accepted at the door.

The biggest potential hazard for trick-or-treaters is traffic. Visibility is important, consider applying reflective strips to your child’s costume and having them carry a flashlight or glow stick. Halloween is an excellent opportunity to remind your children about safe walking habits. Children should always remain on the sidewalk and avoid playing in the street. Children should look for vehicles in both directions before crossing the street and only cross at corners using cross walks and traffic signals where available. Crossings can be minimized by telling your children to visit all houses on one side of the street before crossing to visit houses on the other side of the street. Children need to respect vehicles and know how to act around them. Children should know to make eye contact with a driver before crossing in front of them, to keep an eye out for cars that are backing up or turning and to never run into the street or play between parked cars.

Adults who don’t have children should be extra cautious when driving during popular trick-or-treating hours (between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.) on October 31, especially in residential neighborhoods. With increased pedestrian traffic and the unpredictability of excited children, drivers should exercise caution by limiting distractions and being extra vigilant when exiting driveways and entering residential streets and neighborhoods. Having patience and paying extra attention is important for anyone who has to drive on Halloween Night.

The team at Jasmine Daya & Co. wishes you and your family a safe and happy Halloween. If anything unfortunate does happen call us at 416-967-9100 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.