Dear Supporter,

When it comes to Halloween, sometimes you get it right and sometimes you don’t, and I’m proof of it.

The year was 1993. Between work, family and moving to a new home, fall was a hectic time. This wasn’t just normal busy, it was crazy busy.

So busy, in fact, that Halloween totally snuck up on us, which was rare because Halloween had always been a big deal for my family. Check out my daughter in her homemade bunny suit from a previous year.

But on that fateful Halloween, we had to improvise. My son, Chris, had just turned eight. So, with no regard for safety, we threw a white sheet over Chris’s head, cut out a few eye holes, and told him he was a ghost. Never mind that he could barely see. Never mind that it was cold and rainy so the sheet soaked up the rain like a sponge. And never mind that the sheet was so big that it was dragging on the ground.

To make matters worse, since we had just moved, Chris’s friends lived in another neighborhood. And since there were barely any kids in our new neighborhood, most of the adults weren’t home to dole out candy.

It broke my heart when I saw my little ghost – cold, wet, friendless and candyless – start to cry. And I started to cry, too. I think I might have scarred him for life. I did recover by taking Chris to a friend’s house to set things right.

Now it’s your turn. Send me a crazy Halloween story or a cute picture of your child. If you’re like me, it’ll be fun to look back and find the perfect one. We’ll include the best story and photo in next month’s An Ounce of Prevention.

Have a happy Halloween.

Kate Carr
President, CEO, Mom
Safe Kids Worldwide

Smokin’ Hot Tunes

Last month’s issue highlighted stories about fire safety. Thanks to everyone who responded. Several stories had great flair but the one that sparked our interest the most came from Edna Hibbitts:

When my son was in middle school, he ran an extension cord from an outlet next to his bed, underneath the bed, and into a boom box. This was totally unknown to me until we smelled smoke in the middle of the night. We soon realized that the fringe on the chenille bedspread was on fire. Fortunately, my son awakened and snuffed the fire quickly. The very appearance of the singed bedspread gave us chills. Over 40 years later, I clearly remember.

Play the Candy Game Before You Trick or Treat

Want a fun game to kick off Halloween? Take a few minutes to talk to your little monsters about a few safety tips such as making eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. Then ask them to repeat what you said. For each one they get right, give ‘em a piece of candy. Here are a few quick tips that can help.

What’s Cooking?

The holiday season is coming. A perfect opportunity for families to come together, share a meal and relax (and it’s always relaxing, right?). One way to engage the kids this year is to involve them in the cooking. When your kids are old enough, teach them to cook safely and always with help from an adult. Here are a few more important tips to keep your family safe from burns and kitchen fires during the holiday season.

Calling All Advocates

Did you know that rare earth magnets, like “Buckyballs,” can be dangerous to children’s health? Buckyballs are 15 times more powerful than traditional magnets, and when swallowed can cause serious harm to children’s digestive systems. Help us keep kids safe by making your voice heard. Please share your comments and support a new federal regulation that would protect children from these products.

Semper Safe Kids

Talking about keeping kids safe is one thing, running 26.2 miles to keep kids safe is quite another. This Sunday, October 28, more than 55 fit and generous supporters will help raise awareness about child safety by participating in the 37th U.S. Marine Corps Marathon in the Washington, DC area. Please help Team Safe Kids reach the finish line and meet their fundraising goals.

2012 World Day of Remembrance

On November 18, please take time to remember those who tragically lost their lives in a traffic crash. Across the globe on World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Safe Kids members will support activities for families of victims, offer education sessions for students, dedicate moments of silence and help raise awareness about road safety. This important day is part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, a global initiative to prevent the loss of five million lives by the year 2020. Learn more.

We have more than 600 teams of Safe Kids professionals doing some pretty cool events that might be perfect for you.

Here are just a couple of examples:

• YMCA Fall Festival - Safe Kids Cabarrus (NC). 10/27/12.  Practice bike safety with your kids at a fun, hands-on bike rodeo. While you’re at it, learn the best way to safely dispose of unwanted medicines.

• Countdown2Drive Event - Safe Kids York County (PA). 11/15/2012. Teenagers can't wait to get behind the wheel of a car, but before they do, help them learn the dos and don’ts of safe driving by checking out this class together.

Don’t live in one of these places? Connect with your local Safe Kids to find out about similar events in your area.

• More coalition events
• Find a Safe Kids coalition near you

Here's What We're Reading

We thought Ken Belson's front page New York Times  article on youth sports injuries and concussions was worth sharing.  

A 5-Concussion Pee Wee Game Leads to Penalties for the Adults