7 Halloween Safety Tips for the Sandwich Generation

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For the last few days, everywhere I look I have seen the headlines, “Halloween Safety for Kids” and with good reason. Halloween is only a couple of days away and we definitely want to keep our kids and grandkids extra safe. I was interested to read that kids going out to enjoy Halloween trick or treat in the neighborhood is actually down in many areas, with private parties, mall options, and church harvest festivals serving as a safe and fun replacement. Even so, there will be plenty going house to house and it’s good to be well-prepared, with plenty of candy for the Halloween trick or treat-ers, and with good Halloween safety tips:

1. If your grandkids do go Halloween trick or treating from your house, it’s best to escort them, take flashlights and wear reflective tape. Did you know that “on average, twice as many kids are killed while walking on Halloween compared to other days of the year!” That’s especially good info this year since Daylight Savings Time isn’t changing until after all the trick or treating is done, so it will be dark earlier than the norm.
2. It’s wise to cross at crosswalks and street corners rather than in the middle of the street. Don’t forget, some of the people out driving could be senior citizens whose eye sight is not as great as it used to be. Crossing at the crosswalks is much safer ALL YEAR LONG! 🙂
3. Don’t forget to check all your grandkids’ candy and treats when you get home. Sadly, a few bad people poisoning treats in the past make it a vital necessity for us all to do this each year!
4. Be sure to take your ID with you and if you are taking grandkids who don’t know or can’t communicate their phone numbers and addresses, I would make sure they have some identification on them as well, just in case you accidentally get separated! One great idea we learned at an amusement park is to write your phone number high on their arm in permanent marker. It’ll come off in a couple of days, but then there is a safe way to help reconnect y’all. Hopefully you will never need it, but better safe than sorry!
5. If your grandkids don’t live close or are doing a party instead, and you find yourself out in the car on October 31, be extra alert and careful! Keep your eyes open in all directions as you never know when a wee one may dart out in front of you! It’s best to try to limit distractions anytime we are driving. That’s especially true on a night like this when we will need all our senses working overtime! 🙂
6. Something I always used to do for my aging parents before we lived together is to make sure they remembered to turn off their lights if they didn’t want to hand out treats. They loved handing out the candy and admiring the costumes when they were younger, but once dad’s Parkinson’s got worse, he couldn’t move that quickly so they had to stop.
7. If your aging parent has dementia, be aware that the doorbells, knocking, and costumes could be confusing or even frightening for some patients. It might be a good idea to talk about it ahead of time and see how they react and then making your plans accordingly.

Hopefully these Halloween Safety Tips will be a big help for all of us to have a happy and SAFE Halloween, which is the best treat of all! 🙂 What are some of your tips for aging parents and grandkids for Halloween? We’d love to hear them!  🙂