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Parents
When purchasing costumes for your children, be sure that the
costume is made of a flame-retardant material. Make sure the
costume fits before you rent or purchase or you may find yourself
making last minute alterations. Attaching reflective material
to the costume is always good. Also, instead of masks, you may
want to consider face paint. If you decide to go with masks,
however, consider enlarging the eyeholes as needed to improve
your child’s range of vision.
Before sending your children out for the night, have a pre-planned
route to follow. This will make it easier to find someone if
they get separated from the group. If your children are too
young to go out alone, make sure they have a responsible adult
or older child to accompany them. Teach your children to obey
traffic signals and crosswalks. Also teach your children what
they should do if approached by strangers. As always, when the
night draws to a close, examine your child’s loot carefully
and discard any suspicious looking items.
One HPU mother actually throws away her children’s candy and
replaces it with candy she purchased herself. “I feel that not
all people are trustworthy,” said Reenie Young, mother of two.
“I don’t want to take the risk of being the one who has something
bad happen to my children.”
Drivers
With so much going on it will easy for children to become distracted.
If you have to drive on Halloween, be on the lookout for children
crossing the street and running from between parked cars. It’s
also wise to drive a few miles under the speed limit in residential
areas.
Passing out candy
If you plan to pass out candy, it is clever to take a few safety
precautions prior to the start of the Halloween festivities.
Check ahead of time and be sure your yard is free of any potential
hazards such as lawn care utensils, a loose hose, or anything
else a child could trip on. Instead of using actual candles
in jack o’ lanterns, consider light sticks or battery-operated
candles. Remember to leave a porch light on if you plan on participating
in Halloween. When handing out treats, stick to pre-packaged
candy. Gift certificates and coins are also a safe alternative
and reassuring to concerned parents.
Alternatives
There are always other things for people to do to celebrate
a safe Halloween. For children, many churches and youth groups
plan special indoor events. Check the newspapers and community
bulletins for more information.
For the older crowd, Waikiki is a popular place to go. Here
you can see thousands of people parading the streets in different
costumes. If you decide to go this route, common sense is the
key to safety.
When celebrating Halloween this year, remember that fun and
safety go hand-in-hand (www.honolulupd.org).
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