1. Use Reflective Costumes and Accessories
As the days grow shorter and nights grow longer, it’s important to equip your children with high-visibility clothing at night time. When trick-or-treating this year, make sure your child’s costume is visible at night by adding reflective tape or glow sticks. This lets drivers and other people out on the road know to look out for your child. It’s also a good idea to remind your children of the importance of looking both ways when they cross the street. You can never be too careful!
2. Set Ground Rules for Trick-or-Treating
Whether your kids are trunk or treating, visiting close neighbors or venturing to a new town entirely for trick-or-treating, it’s important to set clear boundaries to help keep them safe. Rules such as staying in well-lit areas, only visiting homes with a light on and using the buddy system can help keep your kiddos stay safe all night long. Depending on their age and where they plan to trick-or-treat, you may have additional rules you want to set. Make sure you have this conversation with your children ahead of time so everyone is prepared.
3. Inspect Candy Before They Dig In
Check all candy for any signs of tampering, unsealed wrappers, or allergies. Throw away any candy that has been opened, is homemade (unless you know the person) and any candy that has unclear ingredients (for allergy purposes). If your child has allergies that may effect their candy consumption, make sure to discuss what is safe and not safe prior to trick-or-treating. In case of an accident or emergency, it’s always smart to keep an epipen on hand as well!
4. Teach Them Road Safety
Halloween is the perfect time to remind your children of basic road safety precautions: always cross the street at corners, use traffic signals, look both ways and never run across the road! Halloween can be an especially dangerous night with so many people out after dark.
6. Create a Family Emergency Plan
Discuss what your child should do if they get lost or separated from you or the group they are with. Have a designated meeting spot and make sure they know their phone number and address. Halloween is the perfect time to make sure everyone is on the same page, but it’s important to also discuss your family emergency plan often throughout the year. If you want to take it one step further, local law enforcement agencies and your child’s pediatrician may be able to provide additional strategies to help keep your child safe.
7. Create an ID Kit for your children
A child safe kit is an essential tool for your child’s safety in case of emergency. It can help you store vital information all in one place, such as fingerprints, recent photos, and a description of your child which can be quickly shared with law enforcement if they were to go missing. In high-stress situations, having this kit on hand can save precious time, helping authorities take immediate action. We recommend the McGruff Safe Kids ID Kit – you can request up to five for your family at no cost!
8. Get life insurance for your family
We know you want to protect your family outside of spooky season too, and one of the easiest ways to protect your children’s future is through life insurance. Life insurance isn’t just about finances—it’s about making sure your child’s future is secure, no matter what. By setting up life insurance, you provide peace of mind knowing your family will be taken care of long-term even if you’re not around. Creating a will and designating responsible guardians for your children is another way to safeguard their future. If you’re interested in securing your family’s future, we recommend you start with this No-Cost Last Will and Testament Kit and speak to a licensed life insurance representative for guidance. Don’t ghost your family and let the future haunt you… get started today!
And last but not least, enjoy this time with your family. Whether this is your first halloween with a trick-or-treating toddler or you’re a seasoned pro ready to steal your kid’s candy when they come home – it’s important to embrace this festive time of year! We hope you and your family have a very safe and spooky halloween!
