Quick Tips to give your child their best Halloween ever!

Kids love Halloween! When else to you get to dress up and people give you free candy? What a perfect holiday! Here's some quick tips to give your kids some precious Halloween memories that they will have for their lifetime.

Halloween doesn't have to be one night out in the neighborhood. Why not stretch the fun over several days? Having a pumpkin carving party for your children and their friends a couple nights before Halloween is a great first step. They'll enjoy looking at their creations for several days before they have to be thrown out.

If you live in warmer weather, it's fun to have a Halloween cook out in your driveway. It's a great chance to get together with neighbors while keeping an eye on the kids and the neighborhood. Also, you can have a scary family night. Paint scary faces, pop some popcorn, snuggle up together on the couch and watch a Halloween movie together. Make it a tradition!

On the big day, serve your kids a filling meal before trick or treating and they won't be tempted to eat any candy before they bring it home for you to check. Parents of trick-or-treating kids can get so caught up in the fun themselves that they might forget some simple safety ideas that could save everyone some trouble. It's worth the time to plan a fun and safe Halloween for our children.

Below are a few common sense tips that can help.

• Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them.

* Trick or treating isn't what it used to be. As we know, it's not as safe to let kids walk the streets alone. Don't test your child's karate lessons. It is a given to send a responsible adult or older teenager with them. * Make sure you set a time that they should be home by. Make sure they know how important it is for them to be home on time.

• Explain to children the difference between tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house may seem like fun but they need to know the other side of the coin as well, clean up and damages can ruin Halloween. If they are caught vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they've made.

• Know what other activities a child may be attending, such as parties, school or mall functions. With these tips and a little effort on your part, you can make your child's Halloween a Holiday that gives them stories to tell and positive memories that last a lifetime!