Keep your kids safe this Halloween

The year’s spookiest holiday is just around the corner and while kids are eagerly putting together their chosen costumes and anticipating bags full of sweet treats, Halloween can be a stressful holiday for parents. With legends of tampered candy and tales of monsters scaring trick-or-treaters, keeping their kids safe on Halloween is on the forefront of parents’ minds.

According to ProtectAmerica.com, 41 million children will participate in trick-or-treating this year, but 70 percent of parents don’t accompany their children while trick-or-treating, and 65 percent of parents don’t discuss Halloween safety with their children.

One of the easiest ways to help keep your child safe on Halloween is to go along and provide supervision. Here are a few other tips for staying safe on Halloween from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Tips for keeping kids safe on Halloween

Costumes: Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure costume fit well and are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame. Add reflective tape to costumes and bags for greater visibility.

Trick-or-treating: Accompany young children on their routes and obtain flashlights with fresh batteries. Only go to homes with a porch light on. If older children are going alone, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you, and are on a specific time when they should return home.

Candy: A good meal before parties and trick-or-treating can discourage kids from filling up on treats. Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Adults should closely examine all treat and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.

– from More Content Now