Make sure your trick-or-treating is all treats

Editoral: Wednesday evening, Hampton’s streets and sidewalks will be filled with hundreds of excited children going to door to door looking for the best treats.
Trick-or-treating in Hampton will be from 5 to 7 p.m. tonight (Wednesday).
Thanks to the sun setting earlier as the calendar nears the end of the year, trick-or-treating needs to come with some added safety precautions.
This year, Halloween looks to be warmer than last year, when high temperatures reached just 37 degrees. Wednesday’s forecast calls for a high of 57, but temperatures this time of year drop quickly as nighttime approaches. The last hour or so of trick-or-treating hours will be in the dark and many store bought costumers are not designed for warm weather. Make sure your kid has extra layers or bring a sweatshirt or coat along if you plan on walking from house to house. Hats and gloves are a good idea to pack along as well. No rain or snow is in the forecast but it’s never a bad idea to include waterproof shoes and jackets.
Part of the fun of trick-or-treating is jumping from house to house, street to street. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement, but traffic must still be considered. Traffic will be heavier when trick-or-treating starts, as people will just be getting out of work around 5 p.m. As it gets darker, costumes are harder to see. Because trick-or-treating requires a lot of street crossing, make sure your kid’s costume has a few safety tweaks such as reflective tape or lights. This will help motorists easily see children. And, as always, check both way before crossing the street.
Drivers must also be safe and courteous during Halloween hours. Keep both eyes on the road and put down the phone (as usual). Drivers are urged to drive slowly and watch the road, as kids can dart between cars or cross the road without looking.
As far as candy goes, it never hurts to inspect what’s in your children’s bucket afterwards. Make sure candy is sealed and throw away any out of the wrapper. Inspect labels to see if your child is allergic to any ingredients. In recent years, the teal pumpkin project has taken hold. If you see a teal pumpkin outside someone’s house that means the home offers non-food items safe for all kids.
Halloween is a fun time of year for children and adults. Horror movies and costumes, candy and haunted houses leave entertainment for people of all ages. Make sure this year’s Halloween is all fun and no real-life fright.