Tomorrow is Halloween in the U.S., that time of the year that children dress up in their Halloween costumes, attend Halloween parties with their friends, and go trick-or-treating at night to collect candy from their neighbors.

If you’re a parent and looking for some tips on how to handle Halloween this year in your house, look no further than this great article written by our own Dr. Hartwell-Walker two years ago:

Fast forward a decade or three and it’s not always so innocent or so much fun. Friends tell me of mobs of teens out terrorizing each other, shaking down the little kids, and demanding candy at the doors of those whose lights are on. Others tell me of carloads of kids being dropped off in their neighborhoods by parents who either think their own blocks are too dangerous or who want their kids to cash in on more free candy. Still others tell me of kids who can’t be bothered saying thank you when they collect their candy. They just want to be off to the next house to get more. It’s a sad comment on what the day has become and what kind of parenting is going on.

Keep in mind that Halloween is a fun time for kids to play a little make believe out in the real world. Let them enjoy the day (and night)! Happy Halloween to everyone!!

Read the full article: Halloween Safety Tips for Parents

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He is an author, researcher and expert in mental health online, and has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues -- as well as the intersection of technology and human behavior -- since 1992. Dr. Grohol sits on the editorial board of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking and is a founding board member and treasurer of the Society for Participatory Medicine.

    Last reviewed: By John M. Grohol, Psy.D. on 30 Oct 2009
    Published on PsychCentral.com. All rights reserved.