The neighborhood I've moved into has a lot of young children who enjoy trick-or-treating at Halloween. With the holiday falling on a Saturday this year, I'm expecting a lot of young company coming to my door. What are some things I can do to make the front yard and porch safe and festive?
"Halloween is one of the Little Rock Police Department's favorite times of the year," says Officer Michelle Hill, the public liaison for the department. "The police love going out into our community and helping neighborhoods be safe."
There are common precautions those expecting trick-or-treaters or party guests can do to make sure everyone stays safe. Here are her recommendations:
• Leave a porch light on for safety -- for the kids and the residents.
• It's best to give out candy on the front porch in the doorway. Never let unknown children or parents into one's home, she says. And, of course, trick-or-treaters should never enter a stranger's home.
• Make sure shrubbery around windows and doors is trimmed and low enough so that someone cannot hide behind it.
• Make sure the porch, stairs and sidewalks are free of tripping hazards. Proper porch lighting helps, as does reflective tape lining the steps if necessary.
• Be wary of open flames, whether it's a jack-o-lantern or luminarias lighting a walkway. Take care to place them out of the reach of small children and pets and never leave them unattended. Best bet is to avoid the open flame completely, choosing a battery-operated light that shimmers and flashes to imitate flamelike patterns.
• Keep pets indoors. The number of trick-or-treaters may overwhelm and frighten them.
Parents and children who are out trick-or-treating can do their part to stay safe, too. Hill shares these suggestions:
• Children under the age of 12 should trick-or-treat with an adult, always use sidewalks and, when there is no sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Cross the street at corners and crosswalks.
• Carefully choose costuming. Best is something flame-resistant with makeup or well-fitting masks that don't block vision. Look for costumes with reflective materials or add reflective tape to homemade costumes.
• Trick-or-treaters should never accept open treats from the homes where the residents aren't known, and parents should be sure to check their children's candy before it's consumed. Parents should make sure they know and are comfortable with the makers of any homemade goodies.
• Carrying a flashlight large enough to illuminate the treat-or-treaters' path and to help make them visible to others is also a good idea.
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? We'll get you an answer from an authority. Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email:
lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 10/10/2015