It’a big, cold, cruel world out there waiting for little kids to hurt. Actually, most of the time the world is like that only if you let it happen that way. Trick-or-treating is scary not only because of all the ghoulish costumes kids wear, but because there are predators out there waiting to hurt your child. In order to protect your child from becoming the next victim, take preventive steps to ensure that they are safe. Trick-or-treating should be fun and exciting for them as they gallop the streets looking for candy, but it will be more fun for you to know that they will be home after the night of fun is over. Here are some ideas to take into consideration to do yourself and to teach your child so that they will be safe on Halloween night.
If younger kids are going to go out trick-or-treating, they should never go alone. An adult should be responsible for every one of them and supervise them everywhere they go. Some communities have trunk-or-treat activities for the specific reason of being able to keep little kids safe while they get their bags of candy. It might be worth getting the neighborhood families together and having a private trick-or-treating ring that can be supervised by all of the parents. If a large group can stick together, then predators won’t be able to mingle in with the kids and cause problems. It’a simple measure that goes a long way to ensure safety.
Teach your kids to not talk to strangers at any time. Predators don’t usually attack a child right on the spot. They usually start out by luring the child into a vehicle or into a darker area where people can’t see them. From there, they take them away. If the child knows how to think and decipher between friends and strangers, then that is a simple way that again, goes a long way in ensuring safety from predators.
Know who is living in the neighborhood. The police department usually sends out notices if sex offenders move into the neighborhood. Be aware of where these sex offenders are so that you can avoid going to those places. It is a proven fact that registered sex offenders are the most likely to commit the same or similar crime again. If you ever see suspicious behavior outside between an adult and a child, do something about it. Even if you end up being wrong about the situation, just imagine what it would have prevented if it had been a real one. When it comes to children, you can never be too careful.
Some women now carry small containers of pepper spray on their key chains to use on an attacker. Buying some of those for your child to use in the case of an emergency is not a bad idea. They are inexpensive and are extremely effective. When activated, it shoots out a stream of spicy pepper that will burn the eyes of the meanest predator out there. If your child isn’t good at aiming, there are also bottles available that shoots out a mist covering a larger area. This is another simple way to ward off a predator who is in the process of attacking.
The simplest way to keep your child safe is to guard them as much as possible. A predator will never attack if they are with an adult. Always look after them and know where they are. Trick-or-treating is an easy time for kids to get separated from parents and lost out there in the dark. Talk things through with them so they know that it is important to be aware and mindful so that they can be more careful too.
