Laura asked a question on the post below this, and when my reply became a post in itself, I thought I’d move it to it’s own post here. Here’s her question:
Whats everyone doing for safety precautions for Halloween? My husband came across an article (http://i-newswire.com/pr220892.html) with some info about background checking neighbors. I thought that may be a little overboard, but it had some other good suggestions for some precautions I haven’t thought about. Last year my youngest son came down with a massive fever after Halloween. I almost thought about just taking the kids to our church’s fall festival this year instead of door-to-door to prevent that from happening again. I don’t know yet. What’s your advice? Am I over-reacting or just being a concerned mom?
Wow, maybe it’s because I’m the product of a small town, but that seems incredibly overboard to me. I can’t imagine letting my kids go trick or treating without me – but that’s probably because we have to drive to the “good neighborhood” that gives the good candy. *L* So that much is smart and I agree with – don’t let the kids go out on their own.
As for demanding to know why someone has a “No candy here” sign? Maybe they don’t celebrate, maybe they aren’t home, maybe they don’t like kids – it seems an incredible invasion of privacy to do ‘find out why’ as if it’s not their right to not have candy if they don’t want too. That’s going overboard. I’d be really pissed off if someone was running checks on me to see why I won’t put candy out – it’s not like I’m offering razorblades and crack in little packages – it’s no candy. Ya know? That’s ridiculous. If there’s “no candy” or the lights are off, then you move on to another house. Simple as that.
Personally, when we go trick or treating, we take the kids to walk two streets in the “good neighborhood” where they get a decent amount of candy, then we pop over to the local Boys and Girls Club for their Trunk or Treat, where they can get prizes and more candy, then to the local Elks club where they have a haunted house and games. That’s a good two hours, and aside from the actual door to door, everything is in a protected environment, and I’m with the kids every step of the way, either watching from the car on the street as I follow them through the walk in the neighborhood, or with them at the group functions.
Again, my town is small, so I may come at it from a different point of view – but I’d definitely check out some of your local area organizations and see what’s out there. More and more boys and girls clubs are doing what ours does with Trunk or Treat at their parking lot, a lot of shopping malls have indoor trick or treating Keep in mind I’m in Alaska, too, so our Trick or treating has to take weather into consideration. It’s COLD out there, and T or T doesn’t last too long, because omg COLD. IN fact right now, it’s a chilly 7 degrees outside.
I have my own personal annoyances with Church “Fall Festivals” but that’s just me. It’s a good alternative if you can convince your kids they don’t need that door to door, or do the “one or two streets” or only people they know, then a festival of some sort. Depending on how old they are, definitely talk to them and see what they’re thinking, and make a plan together. That’s the best advise that article had. My kids and I make our plan before we leave the door – which usually involves “Well go no, and when I’m done we’re going home.” *L* I’m all democratic like that.
Most of all – remember it doesn’t have to be an all night thing. When I leave, I tell the kids straight up – 2 hours, tops. To hit all the spots, before I can’t handle the crowds anymore and I’ll wanna come home. So they know off the bat there’s a time limit. As they get older, they start to lose interest anyway, and it’s more about parties, and group functions with their friends, which opens a whole NEW can of worms, hm? My son has to work this Halloween for the first time, but before that, he is much more of a help chaperoning the younger kids then he is going for Trick or Treating purposes. He’d rather buy his own candy.
Also – be SURE to check your paper, an your fire department possibly. See if someone local has set up an x-ray machine to check the candy if you’re worried about it to that extent. I always check the candy myself for my kids, or watch as they do. We don’t accept home made treats unless it is from someone we know, and everything needs to be in their original wrapping.
That’s just common sense – and checking the candy allows you to steal all the Reese’s cups. *shining grin*
There’s nothing wrong with being a concerned mom for sure, though sometimes it’s hard to let them go enough, but to keep them wrapped in Mom’s Bubble Wrap too. Hope this helped – lemme know if my rambling made any sense at all – or lack thereof.
