Halloween is a fun night where many people are outdoors walking the streets of their community.  It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of planning your costumes and adventuring out to gather candy that we easily forget about safety or assume our kids already know about being safe.  

It is very important to discuss with your children no matter their age, trick-or-treating safety tips.  Have a family meeting the night before and discuss these safety tips as well as answer any questions they may have.

Here are some important safety tips:
1.  Adult Supervision - A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children while trick or treating.  If you are not accompanying them, make sure they know who the designated chaperone is.  

2.  If you have older children who are going alone, plan and review the route and agree on a specific time when they should return.  If your older kids are trick-or-treating with friends, have a mid-way check-in point.

3. Make sure someone in the group has a cell phone so you can reach them and they can reach you.  If your older children have a phone, make sure they are kept in pockets, so it's more of a safety gadget than a distraction.

4. Have a flashlight.  

5. I must reiterate LIGHTS, LIGHTS, LIGHTS!!! It is so dark outside and with dark costumes, it is important to be visible.  Add reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treating bags for greater visibility.  Use glow sticks and light up products.

6.  Only go to homes with porch lights on and never enter a home or car for a treat.

7.  Make sure costumes fit properly to prevent tripping. Make sure masks don’t limit or block sight.

8.  Review costume accessories for safety.  Swords, canes, sticks, lightsabers, look for any sharp edges and make sure they are not too big or too heavy to carry.

Review with your children:
Crossing the street safely, only crossing at the crosswalk, making eye contact with drivers, although you see them they don’t always see you.

No horseplay near the street.

Stay on the sidewalk, walk facing traffic.

Never cut across yards. 

Never enter a strangers home or car.

With younger children go over how to call 9-1-1.

Must have trick-or-treating safety gadgets:
1. Cell Phone and Portable battery charger
2. Knowledge (Discuss Safety Tips)
3. Lights, lights and more lights: Flashlight, Glowsticks, Light Up Bracelets, Lightup Trick-or-Treating Bag or Bucket.

Here are some GPS apps, you may want to download and use for extra safety.
If you have an iPhone, you can use the FREE Find My friend's App, other users must grant permission. 

 Life 360 Family Locator - Free (in-app ad's) - this one is my favorite!!!
iOS Download: https://apple.co/2yN4uS2
Android Download: http://bit.ly/2ODN7hm
My Family GPS Tracker - Free
http://bit.ly/2S3iLTk

Family Locator by Sygic - Free
iOS Download: https://apple.co/2EvpH98
Android Download: http://bit.ly/2NSlBY6
GeoZilla - monthly fee (free 7-day trial) - https://geozilla.com/
Our Pact - monthly fee - https://ourpact.com/
Safe24 - monthly fee - iOS Download https://apple.co/2q2sDA1

A note to all of those who are not trick-or-treating, use extra caution while driving and backing out of your driveway.  Give yourself extra time, if you are traveling somewhere, so you can drive slower and take your time watching for trick-or-treaters.  

 Have fun trick-or-treating this Halloween and be sure to inspect your candy before you eat it as well.  Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends. 
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