Planning for a safe Halloween doesn’t have to be a headache, your Casa Grande family dentist is here to offer some helpful advice in the holiday department. This year, leave all the scares to the ghouls & goblins – your child’s safety should never be among them!
Establishing the Ground Rules
Older kids will make a desperate plea to trick-or-treat among friends, sans adult supervision. If your instincts are telling you this is a bad idea, you should probably listen. If you trust your child enough to remain safe, you still want to establish some critical ground rules.
Establish a curfew and establish a familiar route. Make sure you know the names of everyone participating in the festivities and have necessary contact information for respective parents. It also doesn’t hurt to have your child check in at designated points of the evening.
Safe protocol also means having the common sense not to enter any stranger’s home, if solicited.
Making Costumes Street Visible
One of the most important safety aspects during Halloween concerns visibility – how well will drivers on the road be able to see your child? Virtually any costume can benefit from reflector tape without compromising – you won’t have to compromise your little Iron Man’s signature look. You’ll also want to outfit your kids with flashlights.
Inspecting Candy
Especially important for younger kids, parents should actively inspect their Halloween candies. Apart from discarding anything homemade or suspect, there are trouble candies you should watch out for – too many will cause some damage to your child’s teeth.
Candies to look out for include anything hard like lollipops. These varieties expose the teeth to sugar for extended periods of time, promoting tooth decay at rapid rates. You don’t need to discard these altogether, but make sure to limit the amount that your child has access to at one time.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!