Halloween is a fun holiday but it is important to establish safety rules for a safe time
It does seem strange to have to give safety tips to keep children safe on Halloween. These days there are other things you can do on Halloween to have a good time. Such as going to stores or downtowns that are having trick or treating, have your own Halloween party, or try getting your local neighbors that you like and trust and do a block party. Recently I have seen trunk or treating but that still does not ensure your child’s safety and actually might give a false sense of safety.
Don’t eat any candy before it is inspected by an adult, such as your parents
Don’t eat any unwrapped candy
Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers
Younger children should always be with an adult
Older children should always walk in a group or also be with an adult
Stay on sidewalk
Cross at crosswalks and make eye contact with drivers before you cross the road
Pay attention when walking past driveways to make sure cars aren’t pulling in or out
Respect other people’s properties
Never enter a house unless it is approved by your parents
Use flashlights, glow sticks or reflective tape to make it easier to be seen at night!
DO NOT GO INTO ANY DARK, UNLIT HOUSES
DO NOT GO INTO A STRANGERS HOUSE
Never get into a car with a stranger
Never get into a car unless it is approved by your parents, and only if you have heard your parent’s voice say it is OK
Because it is dark out it is best to walk and not run
Pay attention to make sure no one is following you
Be courteous and observe the trick or treating hours
Don’t forget to say “Thank You”
Halloween Health Tips:
For many, many years I have observed children getting sick after Halloween and this is due to a toxic overload of sugar and artificial ingredients. This overload of sugar causes inflammation in the body and creates lots of respiratory issues (and other health issues). Here are a few suggestions to try to keep you and your family healthy.
Eat a wholesome meal before indulging in those sugary treats. A wholesome meal could be a wonderful pot of chicken veggie soup, stew, chili, pizza with veggies, stir fry, spaghetti and meatballs etc.
Avoid sweets that have artificial colors, natural flavor, corn syrup, soy and hydrogenated oil.
Put a limit on how much candy and treats your child and family are going to eat. Throw the rest away.
Have your own Halloween Party. By doing this you can recreate a healthier Halloween by having a few select treats. Try to take the focus away from candy and focus on games and maybe a movie. Offer foods that have more protein and stay away from soda.
If you are going to bake the goodies try baking with half the amount of sugar that the recipe calls for. Try other types of sweeteners, such as organic sucanat, coconut sugar, real maple syrup etc.
An example of this could be rice crispy treats made with rice syrup instead of corn syrup and marshmallows. You can also add nut butter or ground up pumpkin seeds or flax seeds to it. By doing this you are adding some extra nutrition to them. If you are interested in this recipe there are many recipes on line for this particular recipe.
The day after Halloween get rid of the treats and focus on having healthy foods to get the sugar toxins out of the system. Drink more water, get some movement, more fresh air and adequate sleep.
