Halloween

From jokers to jack-o-lanterns, to princesses and pirates — there are many faces to the haunted holiday of Halloween. Know the tricks to making Halloween a treat.

Do things right on Halloween night
Teach your kids the safe way to trick-or-treat. Trick-or-treaters should:

• Always walk, not run and stay on sidewalks.
• Always obey traffic signals and never cross the street between parked cars.
• Always wear a mask that doesn't restrict vision. Cool face paint is a great alternative to masks.
• Always dress for the weather, not for the holiday.
• Always wear shoes that fit, even if they don’t go with the costume.
• Never wear a costume that drags on the ground; you don’t want to trip on it.
• Never go inside a house for treats, always stay in the doorway.
• Never trick-or-treat alone. Younger children should always be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Older children should travel with a group of friends.

Make it a family affair
Even if your family can’t trick-or-treat together, you should have a family plan. Outlining the evening will help keep your children safe while they are out and keep you from worrying.

• Check with your area mall or community center to see if they offer alternatives to neighborhood trick-or-treating.
• Plan and review the trick-or-treat route and discuss behavior which is acceptable to your family.
• Know where your older children are going, and with whom; make sure to set a curfew or check-in time.
• If your children go out on their own, make sure they wear a watch they can read in the dark.
• Give older children exact change so they can call home
• Make sure your children wait until they are home before eating any treats. All candy should be inspected thoroughly by an adult before it is eaten. Anything that looks unsafe should immediately be thrown away.

Be neighborly
For many adults, handing out candy to little visitors is the real treat of Halloween. Make sure your home and yard are trick-or-treat safe zones.

• Make sure your driveway, yard, walkways and steps are clear of clutter.
• Place candle lit jack-o-lanterns well away from where children will be standing.
• Use glow-sticks instead of candles to light your pumpkins.
• Make sure paper and fabric decorations cannot blow into the flame of the jack-o-lantern.
• Keep your porch light and all outside lights on during the evening.
• If you must drive on Halloween, proceed slowly and carefully.