As Halloween approaches, many children have started shopping for costumes.  More often than not, these children find themselves trapped within their parents’ boundaries.

You have to choose a costume that I like.  I have to make sure your candy is safe.  You can only eat the ones that I tell you to.

This, as well as many other restrictions, can be overwhelming for most children.

What parents don’t understand is that Halloween is the one holiday when children should be left to roam around.  If it’s my own neighborhood, it should be safe, right?  Wrong.

Even with other parents accompanying trick-or-treaters, the environment can be a dangerous one. The fact of the matter is that adult bystanders only pay attention to their children and go home as soon as they’re done.

Children may also be asked to enter the house they’re trick-or-treating in.  They might be tempted to do something dangerous since they are no grow-ups to oversee them.  This can lead to children becoming frightened or lost along the way.

Some parents even let their kids go at night; they think that because they’re with friends, they’ll be safe.  Unfortunately, this isn’t true either.

As a result of peer pressure, children might want to fit in with their friends, and in doing so, get into major trouble.

The time isn’t a safe either.  The after-dark hours can prove to be threatening for young children.

The absence of light itself decreases visual acuity.  This is true for both drivers and trick-or-treaters.  A driver might swerve into a sidewalk or a trick-or-treater might stumble over some steps.

Although these scenarios are unlikely, parents should worry about the safety of their children rather than what they wear on Halloween.