Long Live Halloween!

Long Live Halloween!
The scent of fall is in the air and the colors of the
season are gracing our landscapes. Know what that means?
Halloween is right around the corner! Children everywhere
are counting the weeks until this festive day arrives while
parents wonder if their children should be allowed to trick
or treat and whether today's world is safe enough for the
Halloween traditions of days gone by.

Well I say LONG LIVE HALLOWEEN! How can we deny our
children the only day of the year when they are allowed to
run up and down the street begging neighbors for candy? How
can we deny them the pleasure of dressing up as superheroes
and princesses and gallivanting around a neighborhood
that's been transformed into a one-night fantasy land?

While I believe Halloween should be enjoyed, I do believe
we should take some safety measures to ensure our children
have a safe Halloween in addition to having a fun one.

A Watchful Eye.

If you have young children who will be trick-or-treating
this year, you need to realize that we live in a changing
society. You need to keep a very close eye on your children
and that means following along (even if from a few feet
behind) as your children go door to door on their
trick-or-treating mission.

Setting Ground Rules.

Halloween isn't the time for a free-for-all. You need to
set some ground rules. Let your children know what's
acceptable, what's not, and what you expect from them in
regard to their behavior. If the rules are laid out up
front, there will be less confusion and, hopefully, less
frustration all around.

Bright Clothing or Reflectors.

It can seem like kids are swarming through the
neighborhoods on Halloween night. Drivers need to be
especially careful, but not all are as careful as they
should be. Because of this, you need to take extra
precautions. Don't let your children cross the street
without you and when you do cross the street, make sure you
have reflective clothing or a glow-in-the-dark nightstick
with you.

Candy Checks.

As sad as it may be, you do need to check your child's
candy after they bring in the haul. Look for anything out
of the ordinary. Throw away any unwrapped items, items with
wrappers that look as if they've been tampered with, etc.
And take care that not too much of the good stuff is eaten
all in one sitting!

So is Halloween a dying holiday? Absolutely not! You just
need to take the time to lay out ground rules and practice
proper safety, and Halloween can be as much fun this year
as it was when you were a kid! Watch out for those ghosts
and goblins!


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Karen Fusco is co-founder of http://www.SilkBow.com which
supports Busy Moms with free gift ideas and helpful tips to
meet the challenges of motherhood. SilkBow is the perfect
place for the perfect gift. Karen can be reached directly
at: karen@SilkBow.com