Happy Halloween!

Trick or treat! It's that time of the year and I have some tips to keep kids safe for coming and going.

1. First your house. Check the yard and walkways. Make sure that you pick up any branches and debris so that your home is safe for visitors to walk up to. Use holiday lights to give extra illumination to walkways and steps so that everybody can see where they're going. The rope variety is great because you don't have to worry about the little bulbs being broken. Just make sure that the rope is secured in place so that no one trips.

2. Put your pets in a basement or bedroom before trick or treaters begin to arrive. Normally friendly pets can become very nervous with all the company.

3. If you're getting ready to go out with little ones, feed them before you go so they won't be as tempted to eat a lot of candy before you can check it. If you have big kids and some little ones and your splitting into two groups, use walkie-talkies or cell phones to keep in touch throughout the night.

4. And finally, make sure that your kids costume fits him well and they can move easily so they don't trip and fall.

Have a happy halloween!