8 Tips For A Successful Halloween
Halloween, what a fun time of year for all the kids out there who love to dress up and go trick or treating. When taking your kids out trick or treating there are some general guidelines to proper etiquette that should be followed.
Here are some great tips to share with your children on proper etiquette while you're out and about enjoying the holiday.
Wait your turn. You don’t want to rush in if other trick-or-treaters are already standing at the door. You should stand back and wait until there is room to approach the door. This goes along with no pushing or shoving to get to the door. There is plenty of candy to go around!
Ring the Bell. You should only ring the bell once if the door is closed. Look out for signs that say not to ring the bell, as sometimes knocking on the door is perfect enough to get someone's attention. Also, if there are no lights on, keep in mind this means that no one is home, or they are not handing out candy. Move on to another house.
Saying Trick or Treat and Thank You. When someone opens the door, you should say “Trick or Treat”. Upon receiving your treat say thank you. Make sure you are loud enough for them to hear you say thank you. Keep in mind no one can read your mind. Look each person in the eyes, smile, and say thank you. They will be grateful to know you appreciate their kindness.
Don’t be Picky. You shouldn’t search through the candy being provided as this can hold up the traffic of other trick or treaters. If you don’t like what is being offered you can take a piece anyway. Don’t complain about the type of candy being offered, as many people picked out the candy they think people will like the most. Usually no two people like the same types of candy. Take what is being offered and make sure you again say Thank you!
One Piece. Always assume there is a one-piece candy limit when taking candy from the bowl. So only take one piece of candy unless otherwise told so. Sometimes those giving out candy will allow you to take more than one or will give you more than one.
Respect the Property. Lots of people take time to set up and decorate their property for Halloween. Don’t play or touch the decorations on the front porch or in front of homes. Things can easily break. Make sure you watch where you are walking, stay on the sidewalks, or paths instead of walking through lawns and gardens. Sometimes there are hidden holes or other potentially dangerous things located in yards you can’t see in the dark.
Respect Others. When trick or treating you want to respect others around you. No pushing or shoving, no rushing to doors, watching your language, and where you are walking. You want to keep in mind a lot of little kids will be out trick or treating.
Closing Time. This year Halloween falls on a Monday. Keep in mind that schools will be in session the following day, so trick or treating should end at a respectable time. You shouldn’t be going around trick or treating past 9 o’clock, especially on a school night.
Tips for just mom and dad
Trick or treating doesn’t last too long in the minds of your children. Keep in mind that talking to others is fine, but no child wants to feel “slowed down” because of a long conversation.
Once your children are older, and you are confident they’re remembering their pleases and thank yous, you can stay on the end of the driveway or sidewalk and allow them to walk up to the door on their own.
Prior to Halloween, you can role-play with your children on what to say and do and how to respond at the door when they are trick or treating. This will help to build confidence for your child when they have had some practice. Especially if this will be the first year you let them go to the door by themselves.
Once your child makes it to the door, don’t prompt them right away on what to say. You can help them by saying something along the lines of “Jimmy is a little quiet this evening. I am sure he wants to say thank you for the candy.” Hearing this helps to reinforce what is best said when receiving candy. Over time your child will gain the courage from hearing that to start saying it themselves.
At last, have a fantastic time making these memories with your children if you are going out! And please, be safe!
Safety Tips
Halloween is a fun night for lots of people, but it does require extra caution when it comes to keeping everyone safe. Here are some tips to help keep you and your kids safe while you're out and about trick or treating.
Always make sure to check your kids’ candy for choking hazards, candy that looks tampered with, or anything that your children might be allergic to.
Having a reflective bag for trick or treating helps to make sure others can see you better.
Always use a crosswalk to cross the street when one is available. Please do not just walk out into the street! If you do make sure to always look both directions before walking into the road. Halloween is a very busy night with lots of people out, but sometimes people driving might be so caught up in watching other people they might not see you. This is why it is extremely important to look both ways, and use crosswalks when you can. Role-playing this can be very beneficial to children. Showing them to look for cars, and how to cross can help boost their confidence and give them an idea on what to expect. This will help prepare them better.
Provide adult supervision especially for younger kids. Trick or treating is more fun in groups. Make an evening of it, and enjoy yourselves!
If your children are out trick or treating without adult supervision make sure they have a cell phone or some way of contacting you if need be. Another good idea is to have a piece of paper with contact info on it to keep on them while they are out. Always keep in mind adult supervision is recommended for children.