Polly’s Guide To A Safe Halloween
With Halloween once again upon us, parents concerns about their chldren’s safety is paramount. In order to alleviate lingering fears we have created a pro-active list of child safety tips designed to ensure a safe and sane Trick-or-Treat experience for all.
- Check Megan’s Law for sex offenders in your neighborhood and ensure that your children avoid their houses
- Children under twelve-years-old should Trick-or-Treat with a group and take along a parent or a teen-aged brother or sister
- Tuck a GPS enabled cell phone equipped withe the Track N Treat smart phone app into your child’s interior pocket so that you can track them in real time
- Trick-or-Treat in neighborhoods that you know, that you trust and that are well lit. Avoid dark alleys, dark stairwells, or remote locations
- Discuss your Halloween route with your parents and the time you will return
- Wear make-up instead of a mask that can inhibit vision
- Wear clothing that is light in color and not too long. Add something that glows in the dark or is reflective
- Carry a glow stick or flashlight to to see and be seen by drivers
- Walk on the sidewalk, cross the street at crosswalks, and stay away from cars
- Stay outside the homes that you visit
- Be sure all treats are wrapped and sealed. Eat them only after a parent checks them first
- Trust your feelings! Avoid strange situations
- If you do not feel safe Trick-or-Treating, don’t Trick-or-Treat
- Have a fun and SAFE Halloween!
Halloween can be as frightening as it is fun. Scary stories, haunted houses, and jack-o-lanterns rule the day. Children dress up in costumes that stretch the imagination. We laugh, we cringe, and we marvel at their creativity. They knock on the doors of strangers and receive all manner of treats. In the United States Halloween celebrates goons, goblins, ghosts, and all things departed.
No wonder moms and dads all over America feel like they are rolling dice with fate as the tykes disappear into the darkness. Hopefully, Polly’s Guide to a Safe Halloween will alleviate some of that anxiety.
- Trick-or-Treat with a group andd take along a parent or a teen-aged brother or sister
- Check the Megan’s Law website for sex offenders in your neighborhood and avoid homes where sex offenders live
- Make sure that someone in your group has a cell phone with a charged battery
- Trick-or-Treat in neighborhoods you know, you trust and that are well lit
- Stay out of dark alleys, dark stairwells, or remote locations
- Discuss your Halloween route with your parents and the time you will return
- Wear clothing that is light in color and not too long. Add something that glows in the dark or is reflective
- wear make-up instead of a mask that can inhibit vision
- Take a flashlight and walk on the sidewalk
- Cross streets at the crosswalk and stay away from cars
- Stay outside the homes you visit
- Be sure all treats are wrapped and sealed. Eat them only after a parent checks them first
- Trust your feelings! Stay away from strange or uncomfortable situations
- If you do not feel safe Trick-or-Treating, do not Trick-or-Treat
- Have an FUN and SAFE Halloween!