Halloween Safety Tips Every Parent Should Know

I haven't been this excited for Halloween since I was a little girl. I grew up in Scotia and wish I could say that my costumes were super cool, but I was obsessed with ballet, so I was a perpetual ballerina. So if you remember a little girl showing up for candy at your house, wearing the same costume every year, that was probably me.

While we still have a say in what our son dresses as for Halloween, my husband and I have decided to think outside the box. John loves Beethoven's music, so we're making him a baby Beethoven. We're putting a fitted sheet around his stroller, attaching a keyboard to the tray, hiding a mini speaker in the cargo area (to play Beethoven's 5th Symphony) and dressing John up the best we can to look like Beethoven, complete with a wig. We'll be hitting up my parent's neighborhood in Schenectady on Halloween night, so if you see a stroller pumping out the sounds of Beethoven, stop and say hi!

Whether you're sending your little ghosts and goblins out to collect candy alone, or going with them, there are a few things you should know to make sure they’re safe. The CDC has an awesome way to remember everything you need to know and it spells out “SAFE HALLOWEEN”:

S- swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
A- avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
F- fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
E- examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them.

H– hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
A– always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime.
L– look both ways before crossing the street.
L– lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
O– only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic.
W– wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
E– eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers.
E– enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Don’t stop at dark houses.
N– never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.