Help your child pick
out or make a costume that will be safe. Costumes should be
made of flame retardant material. If they are home made,
make sure and use either a fire retardant spray or fabric treated with fire retardant. If you set
jack-o-lanterns on your porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of
the way so that kids costumes couldn't accidentally be set on fire.
If they are carrying
a prop such as a scythe or sword, make sure they are made out of a flexible plastic that will
bend if fallen on. Most of the props available today are
made of flexible plastic.
Costumes should be
bright enough to be seen at night. If they are black,
make sure that the kids have something flashing or
reflective added to the costume or to carry. Make sure you work
into your child's costume reflector strips, a flash light or light stick to make them more
visible at night.
This
will assure that they are seen by drivers and
that you can keep an eye on them as well if they
get ahead of you while trick or treating.
Do not include high
heel shoes or long dangling pieces of costume that your child could trip over.
A scraped knee or bloody nose can really ruin
their fun. Teens should wear shoes that are
comfortable and fashionable.
If you
or your child are wearing a mask, make sure that
the eye holes are big enough to see not only in front,
but their peripheral vision as well. You may have to cut them open
further yourself. If so, use some black or gray
grease paint around their eye sockets to cover
skin so it doesn't ruin the look of the costume.
If you and your
child are going out with a group, make their costume a unique one, so you can spot them easily
in a crowded area. Use flashing lights or jewelry to
make them stand out.
If you have more
than one child, save costumes from year to year to pass down or to exchange with friends.
You can add extra accessories or dress them up a
little to make them different every year.
If your older teens are
going out with a group of friends, make sure that you
set rules about where they can go, who's driving and how
often they should call in to check with you. Make sure
that they have a cell phone with that that is fully
charged.
If your tweens or teens
are going to a Halloween party, drop them off and pick
them up, make sure that you know the family well that's
throwing the party and make sure that the parents will
be home. Get the phone number of the parents and call
them before the party to get any info or a feel about
who they are if you don't know them hat well.
