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Welcome 4-H YFP Mentoring Families of City of Danville and Henry/Martinsville

With October comes Halloween, parents please find below a few safety tips for a safe and fun Halloween. Please check back regular to the BLOG for more information on upcoming events!

Halloween Spooktacular Safety Tips for Kids:

• Plan a Route. Converse with your kids about which streets are safe and which should be left out of the route, and if there are any particular homes or locations that ought to be avoided. Plan a route together so you can locate your kids with no trouble at all times. Make sure that kids are wandering on streets that they know, and are already familiar with so there’s no probability of getting lost.

• No Short-Cuts. Stay on the planned routes, and stay on the sidewalks and safe walking zones. Don’t be tempted to cut through alleys, parking lots, or yards and make certain the route is always well lit. Try to only cross the street at corners and crosswalks. Work your way up one side of the road then back down the other to minimize street crossing. 

• Lights On. Only call on homes that have the lights on, inside and out. Not only does this guarantee that kids can see where they are going and make sure the area is not dangerous, but turning off the lights is a common way of telling trick-or-treaters that a house or location is either out of candy, or not partaking in giving our candy this year.

• Check in regularly. If your children carry a cell phone, have them call to check in at set times all through the evening. If they don’t, arrange mandatory check-ins at home when planning their route. Arranging check-ins with friends and neighbors all over the neighborhood can decrease the number of times the kids will have to make a trip back home.

• Have a Set End Time. If your neighborhood doesn’t have set hours for trick-or-treating, or if you wish for your kids to come in earlier than the designated end time, communicate that clearly. Make certain your kids understand what time to be home, and make sure they have a watch or cell phone clock with them!

• Don’t eat yet. Give emphasis to the importance of not eating treats and candy until everything can be brought home and examined by a grown-up. Kids might be eager to gobble up candy right away, so make sure they eat a filling meal before they go out to reduce the temptation. Furthermore, inform kids against eating any homemade treats presented by strangers including ciders, popcorn, or candy apples.

• Never. Never go inside a stranger’s house. Never get into a stranger’s automobile. Never follow a stranger anywhere.

Halloween Safety Tips For Parents:

• Costume Safety. Make sure your kids’ costumes are safe and noticeable in the dark. If their costumes are not made from light colors, put some reflective tape on their treat bags, hats, shoes, or backs. Give kids glow sticks and flashlights to carry around so they can be seen easily. Also make sure that costumes are not too loose and floppy presenting a danger when walking or running.

• Driving Safety. Drive very slowly through residential streets and watch out for children/pedestrians. Kids frequently whiz out into the street, or cross in the middle of a road. Driving half the speed limit will give you plenty of time to stop and will help keep kids safe.

What would Halloween be without candy? Why not use the holiday to teach kids about moderation!

• One-a-Day Rule. Have kids put their candy into a big jar that is kept out of reach. Each day, they can pick one piece out of the jar. This teaches kids that candy is a once-in-a-while treat, and not something they should eat all the time.
  
  
• Package up extra candy and send it in a care package to soldiers (www.operationgratitude.com).
  
  
• Encourage children to share candy with friends and family. This makes for great practice with sharing, and will help empty their stash more quickly!
  
  
• Get kids a fun, but smaller Trick-or-Treat bag or bucket. Kids will enjoy the holiday without going overboard!
  
  
• Encourage exercise. If your children eat a few too many candies, encourage them to burn it off with an extra bike ride, hike, or playground trip each day.
  
  
• Be a good role model! Try not to keep candy hanging around and, instead, have healthy foods attractively displayed within easy reach — like a bowl of cut-up fruit or veggies with a dip of yogurt or dressing.