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Happy Halloween!

I am going to interrupt my fantastic tale of Traveling With Children to bring you a public service message about this coming weekend. It’s Halloween. Unless you subscribe to a particular religion that prohibits participation (and therefore probably don’t subscribe to me anyway), chances are you will be spending an inordinate amount of time and money dressing your children with the hopes of not only out-doing your neighbors but also getting yourself some yummy candy that “has to be tested first.” But it’s my responsibility to stop here and give you the obligatory “preachy pediatrician” Halloween talk.

Oh don’t worry. I’m not telling you to not go out. But I’ve got to remind you that face paint is better than a mask because masks can slip and make it difficult to see. Of course my mother never let me have face paint because it gave me a rash so I was forced to work my own mug into my costume. (Many, many years of being a doctor wearing a mask are what followed. And one year with a pig nose. So be careful picking your kid’s costume in case there is an element of prophecy here.)
And of course, brightly lit costumes or reflective tape in strategic places increases the chance that your kid will be visible to both cars and the adults in your group. Remember good footwear and keep the hemlines high enough to avoid tripping. And then there are the obvious things: don’t let your Samurai carry a real sword, make sure the Light Saber doesn’t really slice through skin.
Finally, try to stick to houses that you know and only accept treats that are in sealed, individual packaging. That always annoyed me, getting a homemade candy apple and having my mother immediately take it away. Inspect everything at home in the light before letting your little one have a snack. And if you are answering your own doorbell, don’t give raisins. That’s mean and they are just as bad for your teeth as JuJubees. Of course, my kids aren’t going to get to eat their loot. Because Princess Leia and Wonder Woman (any idea who is who?) have a Mommy who couldn’t possibly let they pollute their bodies with KitKat bars. I’ll have to save them from themselves. Somehow, someway. Happy Halloween everyone!

Dr. Lara Zibners, Oct 28, 2010

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