Halloween doesn’t have to be scary
Published 12:44 am Saturday, October 10, 2009
I know Halloween is still three weeks away, but since people are already selecting costumes for the special outing, I hope parents are keeping safety in mind as they allow children to choose costumes.
I have two grandchildren and my wife, Peggy, has already purchased two Halloween costumes for each of them. I’m not sure how either of them will be able to wear more than one costume Halloween night, but I’ve learned when it comes to grandmothers, reason can be tossed out the window when it comes to purchasing clothes for granddaughters.
The only comments I made about the costumes is they need to be highly visible at night. Considering my granddaughters are two and three years old, it is a good bet they will be accompanied by a parent when they trick-or-treat neighbors and will remain under the watchful eyes of adults.
I hope parents of older children will make sure the costumes their children wear help make their kids easily seen at night. While mostly black outfits might be popular, they are difficult to see, especially as kids dart in and out of cars on roadways.
A flashlight in the hands of every ghost and goblin will help make them more visible—as will reflective tape.
Halloween is supposed to be a time of fun for kids of all ages. If we, as parents, will take a little time to make sure our children understand basic rules of Halloween safety, we can all enjoy a safe and fun Halloween.