Halloween Safety for New Parents

Baby’s first Halloween is a special time for new parents. Choosing the perfect costume, taking pictures and going trick or treating for the first time are things new parents look forward to.

Keeping your child safe when they are still a baby is fairly simple. If they aren’t mobile yet it is mostly a matter of picking an age-appropriate safe costume and not letting them eat candy until you get home.

What should you look for in a Halloween costume?

1. You should look for a costume that is made out of flame-retardant materials. Most costumes today are made out of this material, but you always should check to be sure. The manufacture will have a label that states what kind of materials the costume is made out of, so be sure to read the labels carefully.

2. Pick a costume that is loose fitting for your baby. You don’t want to rely on the costume to keep your precious child warm, so you’ll need enough room in the costume for warm clothes to be worn underneath.

3. If your child is able to walk, be sure to pick a costume that is short enough for them to walk safely in all outdoor situations. Homes today have a variety of different walkways and steps. Be sure your child can walk without tripping on the hem of their costume before purchasing it.

4. Buy light colored costumes for safety. At night, a dark costume is difficult to see for people and cars. To avoid accidents, be sure your child can be seen at night. If you do purchase a dark costume, be sure to put some reflective tape on the arms, legs, and back of the costume, to aid in your child’s visibility.

As your child grows up there are more safety issues to consider before letting them go trick or treating. Here are some things parents should remember for future reference.

1. Be sure a responsible parent or older child goes out with younger children. Remind them they are not allowed to go into other people’s homes without your permission.

2. Children should never trick or treat alone; they should always go out in groups. There is safety in numbers.

3. Know where your children will be trick or treating. What streets are they going to take? How long will they be gone?

4. Make sure your children are aware of the things they should look out for; only let them go to well-lit homes or apartments, look both ways before crossing a street and only walk on walkways and paths.

5. Be sure to tell them not to eat any treats until they get home and the treats have been checked. While tampered with candies on Halloween doesn’t happen as much as the press would let you think, there are incidences of it happening and being safe is the key to a fun Halloween. Also, if your child has an allergy, it’s best to make sure the candy is safe for them to eat.

6. Give your child a flashlight to carry with fresh batteries. Being able to see is important to avoid falls and injuries. Also, a flashlight will help cars see your trick-or-treaters.

7. If you are taking a younger child out, make sure to pin your name, address and cell phone number onto the back of your child’s costume in case they get separated from you. It’s very easy to lose sight of your child at night when the streets are filled with kids.

8. If your children are going out without you, consider letting the oldest one carry a cell phone with them in case of an accident or other emergency.

Having a fun Halloween is easy. Having a fun and safe Halloween requires taking precautions before, during, and after your trick or treating experience. You’re children will thank you for it.

Dawn Arkin is a stay-at-home Mom who writes in her spare time. This article has been submitted in affiliation with http://www.BabyNameVote.Com/ which is a site for Baby Names.

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