[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/holiday-co-parenting-and-safety-this-halloween#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/holiday-co-parenting-and-safety-this-halloween","headline":"Holiday Co-Parenting and Safety This Halloween","name":"Holiday Co-Parenting and Safety This Halloween","description":"For parents who are newly divorced and are splitting custody, holidays can be an especially complicated time, as it is likely that both parents want to spend the holiday with their child. While\u00a0a Raleigh child custody lawyer\u00a0can help you to resolve disputes about with whom your child will spend holidays,...","datePublished":"2016-10-20","dateModified":"2019-08-05","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/author\/charlesullman#Person","name":"Charles R. Ullman & Associates","url":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/author\/charlesullman","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b1be1fb990426716ccc017175b6aa0896e4c2f7f629307d9491d2bf729b1cd81?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b1be1fb990426716ccc017175b6aa0896e4c2f7f629307d9491d2bf729b1cd81?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Charles R. Ullman & Associates","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/logo.png","url":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/logo.png","width":310,"height":78}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kids-trick-or-treating.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/kids-trick-or-treating.jpg","height":400,"width":600},"url":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/holiday-co-parenting-and-safety-this-halloween","about":["Child Custody"],"wordCount":1057,"keywords":["Raleigh child custody attorney","Raleigh child custody lawyer"],"articleBody":"For parents who are newly divorced and are splitting custody, holidays can be an especially complicated time, as it is likely that both parents want to spend the holiday with their child. While\u00a0a Raleigh child custody lawyer\u00a0can help you to resolve disputes about with whom your child will spend holidays, the most important thing this Halloween is your child\u2019s safety. Here are some Halloween safety tips that you should not ignore:Make Sure Costumes Are SafeCostumes are one of the most fun parts of Halloween. But costumes can also be dangerous, and hinder a child\u2019s safety. For this reason, whether you are trick-or-treating with a pirate or a princess this Halloween, make sure your child\u2019s costume is safe before purchasing.\u00a0Things to avoid include:Fabrics, accessories, or designs that impair a child\u2019s ability to walk.Masks that affect a child\u2019s ability to see.Costume accessories that could be dangerous, such as fake weapons or parts small enough for young children to choke on.If you do not think a costume is safe, consider having it altered, or encourage your child to make a different costume choice. You should also attach a tag with your child\u2019s name, your name, and your phone number to your child\u2019s costume in the event that your child is separated from you or lost.Make Sure Children Never Trick-or-Treat AlonePerhaps the most important rule of Halloween is to make sure that your child never goes trick-or-treating alone and without adult supervision. If you are not available for trick-or-treating on the night of Halloween, consider asking your child\u2019s other parent if he or she is available. If neither of you are, make sure a trusted adult agrees to take your child. If your child is old enough to walk with a group of friends rather than with an adult, talk to the parents of other children who plan to be in the walking group.Review Safe Walking TipsWhen it is dark, lots of people are out and about, walking is occurring in trafficked areas, or a costume or mask is distracting or impairs vision, the risk of a slip and fall is greater. Furthermore, crossing streets during Halloween can also be dangerous. To avoid a slip and fall or a pedestrian accident this holiday, review\u00a0safe walking tips\u00a0with your child. While Halloween is very exciting time, children should be reminded that running or roughhousing while trick-or-treating is not safe. When crossing streets, review the stop, look, and listen technique, and encourage children to make eye contact with drivers before stepping into traffic. Also, always walk on the sidewalk when available, never on the street. Finally, you can improve your child\u2019s safety by adding reflective tape or lights to his or her costume, and equipping your child with a flashlight.Put Rules in Place About CandyIt is not the thrill of trick-or-treating that is the best part of Halloween for most children. It is all the candy that they collect. Before your child heads out for trick-or-treating this Halloween, put some rules in place about candy. These should include never eating candy before an adult checks it, and only eating a few pieces of candy at a time (eating more than that can lead to a major stomach ache for children).As an adult, make sure you know what to look for when checking your child\u2019s candy. Remove pieces of candy that look as if they have been homemade or have been tampered with, or those pieces of candy that have already been opened. Also look for any other possible hazards.Stay Away from StrangersReview your policy about talking with strangers with your child as part of your Halloween safety prep. Remind your child that while it is okay to trick-or-treat at a stranger\u2019s door, he or she should only do so when accompanied by an adult or a group of friends. Furthermore, a child should\u00a0never\u00a0enter a home (other than that of a trusted adult), should avoid homes that are poorly lit, should never approach a home alone, and should never accept rides with or go anywhere with a stranger.Keep Your Distance from FlamesWith jack-o-lanterns aplenty on Halloween night, do not be surprised to see candles and real flames in a multitude of locations. Review fire safety with your child, such as keeping a safe distance from open flames. It is also a good idea to practice the stop, drop, and roll technique in the event that your child\u2019s costume does catch flame. To help prevent an accident, make sure your child\u2019s costume is flame-resistant.Tips for Including Both Parents this HalloweenIf you and your child\u2019s other parent are separated or divorced but are on amicable terms, it might be a good idea to consider including both parents in your child\u2019s Halloween celebration \u2013maintaining some normalcy and a good relationship is important for your child\u2019s psychological wellbeing in the event of a separation or\u00a0divorce. Depending upon how comfortable you are with your ex-partner\/spouse, consider:Trick-or-treating with your child together.Having your child\u2019s other parent participate in the pre-trick-or-treating festivities (getting dressed in costume, taking photos of your child, etc.).Letting your child trick-or-treat twice (once with each of you).Splitting the holiday in another way.A Raleigh child custody attorney can provide you with more ideas and suggestions on how to share holidays in a way that is fair to you, your child\u2019s other parent, and your child.Let Our Raleigh Child Custody Attorneys Help You this HalloweenAt Charles R. Ullman & Associates, PLLC, we understand how difficult child custody issues can be for families \u2014 especially during the holidays. Not only do we want to help you to learn more about Halloween and child safety this October, but we also want you to know that we can assist you with holiday co-parenting concerns.Our\u00a0experienced Wake County family law and child custody attorneys\u00a0always have children\u2019s best interests at heart. To learn more about how to keep your child safe this Halloween and plan a Halloween that is happy and healthy for everyone in your family, reach out to us today. You can schedule a consultation online or call us."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Holiday Co-Parenting and Safety This Halloween","item":"https:\/\/www.charlesullman.com\/holiday-co-parenting-and-safety-this-halloween#breadcrumbitem"}]}]