Treading on the boundary of spooky and safe

Halloween can be a fun time for children to trick-or-treat and parents to have fun with their kids. But when danger is afoot, parents always need to be wary of their child on the streets and while eating candy.

Wearing a Costume
     As the seasons change and winter progresses, it starts getting dark around 8:00 pm in Noblesville. For that reason, many parents this Halloween will have their child wearing reflective clothing. Reflective clothing can help show a child in the dark as they are trick or treating and crossing the street. Janna Turner, a mother herself and teacher at NHS, is that one of her biggest concerns this Halloween is people driving.

“I won’t let my children walk on the road out of fear of cars passing by and not paying attention.” Turner said. She advises that it is best for children to wear reflective clothing so they are more visible during Halloween.

Trick-or-Treating
     Ringing door bells and knocking on doors for candy is one of the most fun parts of Halloween for any kid, whether it is their first year trick-or-treating or their last. Many families go out of town as where some parents stay in their neighborhoods.

     “I would not take my children to an unfamiliar place,” Turner said.

     Stephanie Gilbert, a mom who used to trick-or-treat with her kids, agreed.

     “We always stayed in our neighborhood.” Gilbert said. Staying in familiar surroundings can help parents while traveling and moving locations during Halloween because of familiar landmarks and known streets .

Checking Candy
     One of the important things to do before kids eat anything is to examine it. Checking over a child’s candy could possibly save their life.

     “[I look for any] open wrappers or anything that looks out of the ordinary.” Gilbert said. As for home baked treats, both Gilbert and Turner agreed that they would would most likely not accept home baked treats.

Best Trick or Treating Times
     Most neighborhoods now have a curfew for their neighborhood. In Noblesville, it starts to get dark around 8:00 p.m. Neighborhoods in Indiana most often have trick-or-treating time ranges of 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. With winter fast approaching, 8:00 pm is a good cut off time so trick-or-treaters can still be seen in the streets.
     Halloween is a holiday to celebrate with friends and family. From spooky parties to trick or treating, Halloween can be a day for everyone, kids, teens, or adults. The important thing to do during the holiday is to stay safe and have fun!