Huh. Color me ignorant. I had no idea that Halloween was considered the most dangerous holiday for kids. Thinking about it some more, it makes sense. Trick-or-treating in the dark, the pointy costume props, the costumes themselves which are easy to trip on, the possibility of injury is staggering. Children have a higher chance of getting hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year. The number of injuries caused by plastic swords, pitchforks, and other Halloween props increases ER visits on Halloween more than any other night.

I guess my child’s tame roaming at the local mall for her first Halloween years has kept me in a bubble. She’s two so that was ok, but as she gets older I know she’ll want to do the street trick-or-treating with friends.

Keeping Our Children Safe on Halloween

• Supervision. It shouldn’t matter whether they’re 1 yr. old or 11 yrs. old. We as parents, should be around to supervise them especially if they are trick-or-treating in the streets. If your preteen argues that it’s uncool, just cite the statistics and explain you’re doing your job as parents in keeping them safe. In other words, you don’t care if it’s “uncool”!

• Preventative Measures. Discuss safety tips with your kids before you go out. Impress upon them the importance of being aware of their surroundings. It’s never too much to repeat the adage of stop, look, and listen to them.

• Avoid Poorly Lit Streets. There’s nothing more risky than trying to cross a dark street with several kids in tow. Stick to familiar and well-lit streets. You and your kids will be familiar with your surroundings, and you’re able to see them better – and see better overall- as well.

• Choose Appropriate Costumes. Rethink bulky costumes they can trip over easily. Have them try their costume on at home and see how they handle it. The trial run allows you to modify any sources of possible injury. You can tell them they can use a prop at home for pictures but that you will carry it for them when they’re out trick-or-treating. This gives them the proper range of motion without having to worry about them poking themselves or someone else. Click here for tips on picking out age appropriate Halloween costumes for you baby or toddler.

• Indoor Venues. A church, an indoor mall, even schools sometimes put together Halloween events for kids. This is a nice alternative that offers candy, games, and other prizes, without having to be out in the element, and on the streets.

• Ration the Halloween Candy. It’s definitely prudent to have your kids bring all their candy at home where you can inspect their loot to make sure its safe. Aside from safety, you can ration their candy too so they don’t get themselves a tummy ache. I usually let my child choose their favorite candy from their loot, then take the rest to work/school in a candy jar at a prominent place. That way, we don’t give their dentist any more work than they have too and I don’t end up getting tempted as well.

If you are vigilant, and safe, Halloween can remain the happy memory it’s supposed to be for years to come.

CPSC Provides Safety Tips for a Safe “Trick or Treat”

WASHINGTON, D.C. ? The spookiest night of the year is around the corner. Kids everywhere are choosing their favorite costume and looking forward to their favorite treats. As parents and caregivers prepare for this celebration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds them to keep safety in mind, so that no child is haunted by Halloween-related injuries. Hidden dangers associated with costumes, treats, and decorations can be easily prevented.

CPSC reports that the most serious Halloween-related injuries involve burns from flammable costumes and decorations, including ignition from open flames, such as candles and Jack O?Lanterns. Other incidents have involved lacerations from carving pumpkins and trips/falls while walking, particularly after dark.

?Our major concern is still the use of home-made costumes that are not flame resistant,? said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. ?Parents making their children?s costumes should use inherently flame-resistant fabrics, such as nylon and polyester. Costumes should fit well and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.?

CPSC helps keep children safe by enforcing the Flammable Fabrics Act and by recalling products at Halloween and throughout the year that can cause injury.

Follow these safety tips to ensure this year?s holiday is a safe one:

Costumes

* When purchasing costumes, masks, beards and wigs, look for flame-resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester, or look for the label “Flame Resistant.” Flame-resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly. To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.

* Purchase or make costumes that are light, bright and clearly visible to motorists.

* For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. Bags or sacks also should be light-colored or decorated with reflective tape. Reflective tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.

* Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.

* Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.

* Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over children’s eyes and obstructing vision.

* If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision.

* Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible materials.

* Supervise pumpkin carvings to avoid lacerations.

Treats

* Warn children not to eat any treats until an adult has examined them carefully for evidence of tampering.

* Carefully examine any toys or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.

Decorations

* Keep candles and Jack O’ Lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.

* Indoors, keep candles and Jack O’ Lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire. Do not leave burning candles unattended.

* Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.

* Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory, such as UL. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.

* Don’t overload extension cords.

The most fun age to take children trick or treating may be when they are toddlers. But that can also be when they are most in danger. This is partly because they are very mobile, but also uncoordinated, leading to the three most common preventable Halloween injuries. Dr. Brian Keaton, President of the American College of Emergency Physicians says, “Every year you see kids injured while trick-or-treating, and it’s always frustrating because the injuries are easily prevented.” What do ER doctors see most often? Eye injuries and burns, and children hit by cars as they go through the neighborhood.

To safeguard their eyes, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other similar organizations have suggested that wands, swords, and other accessories should be blunted. Also make sure they are short enough that your little one does not trip over it. And, in case he does trip, make sure it is flexible enough to bend under him. The University of Michigan Health System also recommends that you take the lenses out of decorative eyeglasses.

Because of the burn risk, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission urges parents to only purchase costumes that are flame resistant. Of course, if you make your own costume, keep in mind that some fabrics are more flammable than others. The University of Michigan Trauma Burn Center says that the most flammable fabric is 100% cotton. The safest is polyester. Don’t let little trick-or-treaters wear capes and other billowy costumes that can come in contacts with burning jack-o-lanterns.

When it comes to traffic injuries, have your children wear reflective tape no the their costumes, even if it “spoils” some of the look. Keep them always at arm’s length and make them carry their own lights.

Of course, there are other common sense advisories, such as making sure shoes aren’t too big, and that you don’t obstruct airways, vision or hearing. Infant costumes should not have accessories that can cause choking. For this reason, many parents use face paint for little children instead of masks. That is a smart choice, but can have its own potential downside. To avoid allergic reactions with a child’s sensitive skin, use only FDA approved cosmetics (note that zinc sulfide is the only luminescent color approved for skin).

In a recent post, I discussed why I now let me son go trick-or-treating. If you are in agreement, then we may be in another situation together, too: there are only a few days left, and your kids don’t have a costume yet! Ah! You could go buy one, if you don’t mind spending the money. You could sew one if you are extra crafty and have the time, money, and energy to devote to it. You could make your kids go as ghosts (again). Or…you could take your cue from some of the most fun, simple costumes I’ve seen at my door:

• A Christmas present: All you need is a big cardboard box and wrapping paper!
• Cell phone: This is an updated variation of the old robot idea. But I thought it was clever.
• A pair of dice: Have two children? Find two big boxes, paint them to look like dice! Especially cute on a set of twins.
• Butterfly: This may be a little too commonplace for you, but maybe that’s because it’s so cute! Dress your child in black, cut out cardboard wings (you can paint them or decorate them with markers), wear a headband with antennae made from pipe cleaners or even cardboard. Add some face paint if you wish!
• Artist: Find an old shirt of your or daddy’s. Smudge paint on it. Cut out a little cardboard palette. Top everything with a beret. Voila! (For your little boy, add a goatee with eyeliner for fun.
• Angel: a variation of the butterfly. But this time your little girl wears white instead of black. Make cardboard wings and cover them with foil. Make a halo if you wish from foil, again.- Miss America: She can wear her dress up clothes or your old bridesmaid’s dress! Add a sash that spells out “Miss America” and a tiara.
• Laundry basket: It’s pretty much what it sounds like. An inexpensive laundry basket, with a hole cut in the middle, stuffed with clothes. Very funny to see at your door.
• Smores: I saw this one online and it made me smile. Make a sandwich board sign like you see on the side of the road. Regular cardboard is already the color of a graham cracker. Then paint the inside of one side dark brown like chocolate. Fill a white pillow case with a little newsprint and staple it inside the other “graham cracker.”
• Sumo wrestler: Your little on puts on daddy’s white sweats and stuffs them. Tie if off with a black sash and slick back their hair. Make a top knot if you can!
• Tea bag: This one requires a little bit of sewing or hot glue. Use two old white sheets, and fold them in half. Sew up the sides so they make two pockets. Fill them up about halfway with dried leaves then sew them together at the top (but leave a space for your head in the middle!) Staple a long piece of string to a tag and attach it to the top of your tea bag. Then identify what kind of tea you are!

I’ll bet you’ve seen plenty of clever, inexpensive last minute costumes yourself. Share them with us!

When I moved to Europe 17 years ago, I was disappointed how little they put stock on Halloween and the customs that go with it. The Europeans wore costumes during the carnival season (around February to April) but dismissed Halloween as pure “American frivolity.” I somehow got used to it over the years as I moved from one European country to the other.

That’s why it was a pleasant surprise when we moved to Switzerland two years ago to see that this little alpine country has somehow picked up the tradition of Halloween. At least in big, expat-infested urban areas like Z?rich. In our little neighborhood of about 30 row houses just outside Switzerland’s biggest city, the kids are very much into Trick or Treats (S?sses oder Saures in the local language) on October 31. In no time, my boys were part of the whole operation.

Last year, when they were 4, I told them they could tag along with their older friends as they went around the block so that I, mommy, could stay at home and distribute the treats. I, however, would fetch them after an hour, just before bedtime. Ours is a very safe neighborhood and almost traffic-free (all cars are parked in a common underground garage) and all the kids know each other.

When they got home that evening, my boys were so proud to show me their loot and we did the usual routine when it comes to sweets they collect (be it at Easter, birthdays, Christmas, or this time Halloween): they are allowed to choose and eat one or two sweets and the rest were kept in jars (properly labeled with the owner’s name) for future consumption. They are then allowed to choose one sweet each day after that. Eventually they will get tired of or forget about the sweets till they become spoiled or too hard to eat. Over the years, we have managed to teach our boys moderation when it comes to sweets. They are simply collectors, not consumers.

Imagine to my surprise (and delight) last year when I found, among the chocolates and the gum drops, toothbrushes! Two new kiddie toothbrushes, the ones that light up while being used, one for each boy. Now, who on earth could be so thoughtful to spend so much money on such an unusual (and extremely useful) treat? Is somebody in the neighborhood sending us parents a message? If so, then she or he has succeeded (at least with me).

Now, I am not one to fully forbid sweets on special occasions, not wanting my kids to have little Willy Wonka’s (of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) sad childhood experience. However, I do have my own strategy (as described earlier) to limit my kids’ sugar intake.

For Halloween last year, I just bought and distributed candies and then left it to the parents to sort out their sweet consumption policy at home. How irresponsible of me.

I never found out who gave each and every child in our neighborhood the toothbrushes that night. However, whoever “tooth fairy” or (should I say “toothbrush fairy”?) was, he or she was a person of wisdom and compassion. Definitely somebody who disapproves giving sweets to kids. Yet, instead of closing his/her door and denying the kids their fun, he/she gave something to help prevent the damage that sweets can do.

This year, I am following his/her example. Sort of. I can’t afford to give everyone toothbrushes. But I am giving out no chocolates, gum drops or candies this year. Instead, it will be granola and cereal snack bars and whole grain crackers that will go into the bags. Whatever I buy, I will be looking at the sugar and fat content .The kids will get their treats but healthy treats. Let’s see whether the other parents got the message as well.

As for our toothbrush fairy, I will tell my boys to watch out for him/her this year.

So I can say thank you.

When I began my parenting career, I was in the camp that said, ‘Trick-or-treating is at best dangerous, and at worst, evil.’ I once gave a speech in school about why Christians shouldn’t celebrate Halloween. Of course, that was also a time when we were more concerned about trying to figure out what our music said backwards than we were worried about what we could plainly hear forward! All that to say, my practices as a parent when it came to Halloween were well-intentioned, but misguided.

Lots of families have very good reasons why they do or do not celebrate any particular holiday. I’m not about to tell them they should do otherwise. But I have, in the last almost-11 years, changed my own mind about trick-or-treating. And here’s why: my reasons before were bad.

First of all, yes, there may be terrible people out there who use that night to prey on innocent children and perform sacrifices to evil spirits. But if I stayed indoors every time I heard about someone doing something unspeakable and dangerous, I would never leave my house. And I would cower in fear every New Year’s Eve.

More importantly, I no longer am convinced it is the devil’s holiday. All Hallows Eve is the night before a Catholic celebration to honor all of the saints. But cultures all over the world have stories about the dead. When immigrants came to the United States, they brought these traditions with them. Trick-or-treating as we know it is a combination of all of them.

Across places and times, including Ireland, China, Egypt and Mexico, people believed that souls needed food to nourish them on their journey to heaven. So homeowners left out meals for them, lest the wandering spirits become angry and play a bad trick on their home. Add into the mix a European belief from the Middle Ages. They were terrified of these lost souls who wandered the earth looking for new bodies to possess. So they lit fires in the cemeteries and disguised themselves to scare away the souls. (It may seem like a bad thing to recreate, but it’s the same reason why we have bridesmaids at weddings?)

Anyway, poor people started putting two and two together. They would disguise themselves, go to a neighbors door, and ask for “soulcakes”. The beggars promised to pray the lost souls into heaven if they received the food. If not well, then, let’s just say the ’souls’ would return that night and play a trick on the homeowner. Pretty soon, people started sending their children to beg. Housewives gave them food but the kids were expected to perform a song or dance.

Trick-or-treating began in immigrant neighborhoods in the US in the early 1900s. After a story appeared in the October 1947 Jack and Jill, the tradition spread. Radio shows the following year featured it, and when Disney created a 1952 cartoon about it, trick-or-treating was here to stay.

But besides the fact that my history was wrong and my fears are at bay, there are a couple of positive reasons to participate in trick-or-treat night. Perhaps most importantly, it brings communities together. In an age when people can live in a house for five years and not know their neighbors names, kids have the gall to show up and ring my doorbell. Eegads! The little brats want candy. But take a moment and you just might learn that a few bucks worth of Hershey bars will give you the opportunity to meet their parents, learn their names and exchange phone numbers. Maybe the next day you can wave and greet them by name. That’s why we don’t even have a ‘harvest festival’ at my church.

Good reason #2 to get out there and have your children shill for tooth-decayers! It’s fun. And I’m willing to put my name on the line to say your kids won’t turn to the dark side because of it.

Our daughter’s 14 months old. We’ve been on the fence on whether she’ll get much out of a trick or treating experience this year. She was pretty much oblivious to the holidays last year so we were excited about this year. However, we were still unsure whether taking her trick or treating would be worth it. Most significantly, we wondered what we’d do with all that candy.

Well there’s an alternative way to go trick or treating this year now, and all for a good cause. UNICEF’s Trick or Treat drive is encouraging kids to collect money instead of sweets and candies in their special box, then send the collection in as part of UNICEF’s effort to encourage giving back to less fortunate kids worldwide. It may seem like a bummer to some kids, but it’s a great way to expose kids to humanitarian/charitable causes, encourage selflessness, and avoid a visit to the dentist!

The younger ones like my daughter’s age won’t mind, and if you appeal to the older kids, I’m sure they’re generosity will kick in. Challenge your kids, why not?