How to Confirm that Candy is Safe After a Fun Night of Trick-or-Treating
It’s easy to understand why parents are fearful. Kids are going door to door and stocking up. Some of the kids will often eat their bounty as they walk from one home to the next. All the kids know is that they are getting a rare, sugary treat. The idea that it could be dangerous doesn’t even cross their minds.
Parents know that while the vast majority of people who answer their door on Halloween night and pass out candy are good and decent people who wouldn’t dream of handing out toxic candy, they also know that that there’s always a chance that their child could cross the path of a dangerous psychopath who doesn’t like kids.
The good news is that there are some steps parents can take to make sure their child only enjoys safe candy this Halloween.
The first thing you need to do is commit yourself to watching your child like a hawk. Don’t assume that just because you told your child that they weren’t allowed to eat the candy until you have a chance to inspect it that they’ll listen. Stay close to your child and make sure they aren’t sneaking treats. This is why it’s good to have a couple of adults accompanying your child while trick-or-treating. The more adult supervision there is, the less likely it is that your child will take advantage of you looking away for a moment and grabbing a piece of candy.
As soon as possible, take a moment to inspect the candy. Commercially wrapped candy bars are great because it’s easy to inspect the packaging for signs of tampering. While broken seals and holes in the package don’t necessarily mean that the person who handed out the candy laced it with something harmful, packaging does occasionally become damaged, the damage does mean you can’t let your child have it.
If the candy’s packaging is damaged, make a note of the address, keep the candy away from your child, and bring the candy to the police for testing. Do not confront the person who passed out the candy.
Another way you can make sure your child enjoys Halloween but doesn’t end up with tainted candy is avoiding the act of going from one strangers door to another. Instead, look for businesses that have collaborated and put together a trunk and treat event for the kids. These events have turned into a wildly popular solution for parents who want minimize the risks connected to trick-or-treating but who also want their kids to enjoy Halloween.
Your third option is to limit your trick-or-treating to the homes of trusted family members and friends who you know will only hand your child candy that’s safe.
Have fun and stay safe this Halloween!
Teens Need to be Smart While Partying This Halloween
Everyone knows that the best parties happen in October. There’s something about the combination of extreme sugar, spookiness, and the strange cheerful zaniness of the season that makes the parties even more memorable. It’s why so many teens spend days learning about what Halloween parties are taking place.
While there’s nothing wrong with going out and having a great time at Halloween parties, teens do need to be smart and make sure they’re not breaking any laws while they have the time of their lives.
The first thing to remember is that parties aren’t a secret like they once were. Thanks to teens using social media sites to plan and discuss parties, it’s easy for the police to use the same social media sites to gain information about the party. If they get the impression the Halloween party is going to have a lot of drug use or underage drinking, it’s reasonable to assume that they could show up at the party site and start making arrests.
Even if the cops don’t learn about the Halloween party via social media, if someone complains about the noise or something else that’s happening, the police will put in an appearance. While they are at the Halloween Party, they will be actively looking for intoxicated teens.
This year, like previous years, the police and courts are not fooling around when it comes to underage drinking. It doesn’t matter that it’s Halloween and that you only had one beer to celebrate. If they catch you drinking, you will face steep consequences that will have an instant impact on your life and your immediate future.
Teen who are caught drinking at Halloween parties will:
- Lose their driving privileges for as long as a year if they’re caught driving with anything more than a .01 blood alcohol level.
- Be fined up to $250 (plus court costs).
- Be required to participate in drug and alcohol counseling.
- Be required to complete 24-32 hours of community service.
If you’re going to a Halloween party, it’s important that you’re aware that even if you’re not actively drinking when the police knock on the door, you could still be in trouble. Just by holding a drink in your hand, you can be charged with being in possession of alcohol while a minor.
If you’re a teenager, the best way to enjoy the holiday without potentially getting into trouble with the law is to stay away from alcohol and any illegal substance.
Trick-or-Treat Safety
Finally! Halloween is here. Not only does that mean cooler weather, pumpkin spice coffee, and an excuse to snuggle up with a good book rather than going out, kid will tell you that it’s time for free candy.
While kids love trick-or-treating, parents often have mixed feelings about the popular activity. Yes, it’s great to see how excited your kids get each year. The problem is that each year, parents worry how they will keep their child safe while they go from one house to another.
The good news is that there are things you can do to insure trick-or-treat safety while also allowing your children free rein to enjoy the holiday.
Make sure your children are visible, even if they’re out after dark. This isn’t complicated. Simply arm your child with a flashlight, and incorporate some flashing lights and reflective strips into their costume.
Remind your child about the rules of the road. Kids are so excited about being dressed up and obtaining as much free candy as possible, that they can easily forget things like watching for traffic. Before they head out to trick-or-treat it’s really important to remind them that they have to be respectful of motorist who are driving along the streets.
Trick-or-treat as either a family or friend unit. Instead of sending your child out on their own to trick-or-treat, make this an opportunity to make some excellent family memories and go out with your children. If work or life makes it impossible for you to join in the trick-or-treating fun, arrange for your child to go out with friends or other family members. Your child is far safer in a group than they are by themselves. Make sure a responsible adult will be watching over your children the entire time they are trick-or-treating.
Your children will want to eat their candy right away, but encourage them to wait until you get home. Waiting gives you an opportunity to inspect their candy and make sure it hasn’t been tampered with, plus it means your child isn’t potentially stopping in the middle of intersections in order to snatch a sugary treat.
Covid-19 is still a concern so make sure you keep a bottle of hand sanitizer on you and frequently apply it to your child’s hands. Remind them not to touch their face until they’re home and able to thoroughly wash their hands.