Ghouls, scary stories and zombies aren’t the only things to be feared this Halloween. On October 31st, better known as All Hallows’ Eve, hundreds of children will take to the streets dressed in masks and bed sheets, desperately seeking the highest number of ‘Celebrations’ possible. As parents you might hesitate when letting your children out by themselves for “trick-or-treating”. Not solely because you know they’ll return hyper on sugar and later you will have to struggle in vain and plead with them to “just go to sleep.” You might hesitate because you might not be able to see past ten feet from your front door.

 

With daylight savings having just ended, days seem to be getting shorter and nights are approaching faster. Additionally, street lights seem to only be located on main roads instead of the areas we seem to live and those which no doubt have the most chocolate. Maybe at seven thirty in the morning, it might look like nine AM. But then at five thirty PM, the sky resembles nine thirty. Look outside your window for further proof. Essentially, if your children go trick-or-treating at six o’clock, you are letting them out into ten o’clock darkness. Would you let your children wander about that late?

 

Julia, a mother of two, and resident in the Hounslow area, feels “anxious” about this. “I can’t really see anything anymore. When my boys asked me if they could go out without me and my husband this Halloween, I got nervous. I want them to have fun together but something might happen to them and no one will see it, because it’s so dark.”

 

“I think the real problem that needs to be fixed is the lights that come on every night; they either need to be made brighter, have more of them or be turned on earlier. Cars can’t see properly and children can’t see properly.”

 

The general consensus going around in Isleworth and Hounslow seems to be: trick-or-treat with your children this Halloween. While this Friday is a delightful opportunity to don your fairy wings and pirate swords in the hopes of gaining last minute sweets that were found at the back of your neighbours’ cupboard, make this Halloween a family event and participate with your children. However if your children insist on going it alone, sans parents this year, it is important to know where they are going and to be in constant contact with them. As the age old saying goes; It is better to be safe than (scared and) sorry.

By Jessica Yim, The Lady Eleanor Holles School