Ellen PhillipsMy original 2008 Halloween safety column was compliments of Cathy Lewandowski, AT&T's marketing director. This year's additions come from other resources as well as good, old-fashioned, common sense.
- Keep connected. Give your kids a cell phone, regardless if they normally use one or not. Activate old phones with a prepaid calling card and fully charge them before Count Dracula, Witchipoo and your smallest Elsa start out their evening. Program emergency numbers as a speed dial; numbers also can be programmed as I-C-E (in case of emergency), which is a good idea for Little Bit's or your own phone at any time. Accompany trick-or-treaters younger than age 12. Pin a piece of paper with your child's name, address and phone number inside the child's pocket in case you get separated. Do not attach it to the outside of clothing, especially with a younger child.
- What about costumes? Make your kid's costume stand out - figuratively and literally. Decorate costumes and bags with reflective tape or stickers and choose light colors. Since masks can obstruct vision, use face paint and makeup. (Be cautious with face paint, however; some could trigger allergic reactions.) Give glow sticks and/or flashlights to little ghosts and goblins and insist on their use. Ensuring drivers quickly spot trick-or-treaters is critical. Make sure costumes are the right size to prevent trips and falls.
- Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, establish a route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a house. Encourage older kids to trick-or-treat with a group. Maintain contact information with chaperones and trade phone numbers with all parents with you and those with your kids. Encourage older kids to stay close to home and tell them not to go door-to-door in an unfamiliar neighborhood. Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them; insist they check in with you every hour. Make sure they know not to deviate from the planned route so that you always know where they will be. Tell your children to call home immediately should they become separated from others in their group or feel uncomfortable in their surroundings.
- Check your neighbors. Check your local state website for sex offenders. Almost every state has one; just search for your state sex offender site and look up your zip code. It should show a list of registered offenders in your area that includes street addresses. Reiterate to your kids about strangers. Explain as simply as possible that some adults are bad and want to hurt children, that they should never go into a house that they don't know, get into a car or go anywhere with a stranger. Also, tell them what to do should this happen: Scream loudly to draw attention and run away as fast as they can to someplace safe. Carrying a loud whistle is a consideration, too.
- Crossing the street. Show your children how to cross a street properly: Look both ways before crossing, and only cross at corners or crosswalks. Have older children take the hand of the younger child when they cross a street.
- Drive responsibly. Take advantage of hands-free options while using your phone in the car, especially with so many youngsters out crossing the streets. Be a wireless Samaritan. Keep a lookout for anything suspicious or out of place and, if you note such, call law enforcement.
And, finally, whether you're trick or treatin' or not, have a safe and enjoyable Halloween!
Contact Ellen Phillips at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com.