There are a lot of myths surrounding Halloween and the dangers of trick o’ treating. The story most of us are used to is the razor blades in the apples. This year’s flavor is fentanyl in candy. The reality is all of these stories come from urban legends or vaguely related news stories. In fact, a study in 2000 found that since 1959, there have been 80 cases of Halloween candy tampering in the United States. All but 10 of those were found to be hoaxes. Of those 10, the children only had minor injuries.
While we don’t need to Xray our candy, precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of all the kids out and about on Halloween night.
Porch Light
An old-fashioned rule that still holds true! When the porch light is out, they are out of candy.
Be Seen
Always bring a flashlight or glow sticks for your children to hold. You can also make sure your kids are lit up with reflectors on their costumes or light up shoes. The majority of us will be taking our kids out during the night time. And it is far too easy for kids to be in dark costumes to not be seen by oncoming motorist.
Careful of Candles and Jack-o-lanterns
A lot of costumes may include wigs, tool, or other very flammable material. We know there will be jack-o-lanterns out on Halloween night. Make sure to have strict rules with your children so they know not to go near an open flame on someone’s front porch.
Stay Away from Homemade Treats
While a nice gesture, homemade treats can contain allergens or ingredients that your children may not be able to eat. Always go for packaged items. And no, it is not possible to inject drugs into candy with a needle without you noticing.
Remove Makeup and Adhesive Before Bed
Between the excitement and the candy, getting your kids to wind down at the end of the night can be a challenge. But we know, once they crash, they will crash hard! Make sure you use makeup remover to get rid of all makeup or body paint before they collapse in a heap on their beds. Many costume adhesives can also cause rashes if left on for too long.
Stranger Danger
There is a hilarious bit of irony for telling your children not to take candy from strangers, but then have an entire holiday dedicated to doing just that! While we encourage interacting with strangers on Halloween night, stranger danger is still very real. A good rule for Halloween night is “no entering a person’s home.” If their home is set up as a haunted house, they must enter with a parent.
Keep a Cell Phone for Older Kids
Kids reach that certain age and they want to go out and get candy with their friends. If this is the year for your child, it is always a good idea to make sure they have a cell phone. See if your phone has a location app on it so you can track where your children are in the neighborhood.
We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Halloween! Stay safe and enjoy the sugar high!