Parents Talk: Saying No to Trick-or-Treat

One year the trick-or-treaters just stopped coming.

We lived in the oldest neighborhood of Tampa, which had typically been a hot spot for Halloween candy hunters. All through my childhood, I remember streets teeming with kids from all over town — legions of miniature ghouls, Disney princesses and World Wrestling Federation stars (this is Florida we're talking about after all). And then in 1997, I think it was, the party was over: The weather was good and the candy was plentiful, but the streets were deserted that Halloween and for many years after that.

In retrospect I have to wonder: Did parents get scared off?

Anecdotally, at least, that seems like a good possibility. As recently as last year, hospitals in Mankato offered to x-ray Halloween candy for free to assure parents that there were no hidden pins and needles. And in recent years, churches and community groups have begun hosting "safer" alternatives, like trunk-or-treat events.  

Statistics also suggest that parents are wary of the time-honored tradition. This year, Safe Kids USA published a study of parental attitudes toward Halloween. The group surveyed 935 parents over September 2011: Of the respondents, 77 percent expressed concern about their child's safety on Halloween night. The most common fear was that their child could be hit by a car (31 percent), but they were also worried their child might be poisoned by tainted treats (24 percent) or become the victim of an abduction (15 percent).

Are these fears rational? For an official perspective, we asked Sgt. Chris Wicklund of the Burnsville Police Department. His answer? Yes and no. The department sees little meaningful increase in criminal activity on Halloween night.

However, parents are onto something: Traffic hazards are the biggest threat to kids on Halloween night, Wicklund said. It's easy to see why. Kids are rambling around in dark clothing at night and many neighborhoods are dimly lit. Wicklund suggested that parents wear reflective vests as they escort their kids around. Trick-or-treaters could also wear reflective tape or carry glowsticks.

With respect to abductions and stranger danger, Wicklund said just this: Don't let them go out alone (This may seem like a given, but according to the Safe Kids study 12 percent of the parents surveyed said they let children under the age of five roam unsupervised).

"There's safety in numbers," Wicklund said. "Go with a group or a responsible adult."

That leaves just one more burning question: Is that Snickers trustworthy? Most likely yes. Wicklund said he'd never heard of credible reports of candy-tainting or tampering in recent years, if ever. It appears to be an urban legend that just won't die.