October 22, 2025, 12:14 p.m.
With Halloween approaching, many teenagers will be trick-or-treating with friends instead of with a parent. WashU Medicine physician at St. Louis Children’s Hospital Sarah Garwood, MD, provides some helpful safety tips for parents to discuss with their tweens and teens.
Clear is kind when it comes to communication. One of the first things a parent should do is set clear boundaries with their child about their curfew. It’s also very reasonable to ask your teen to report their plans and locations for the evening, especially if those plans end up changing.
Discuss routes they plan to take and remind them to stay in well-lit, familiar areas, and avoid alleys, abandoned areas, and potentially unsafe parks. Reinforce that they should stay in a group for safety against traffic or getting lost, and to use reflectors, flashlights, or glow sticks.
Have an open conversation with your teen about expectations and consequences of inappropriate behavior, including legal consequences. As teens get older, unsupervised Halloween parties with alcohol or other drugs become more common. Teens whose parents know their plans and know if adults will be present at a party lowers the likelihood of substance use. Encourage your teen to call you if they are in an uncomfortable situation or if they need a sober driver.
Finally, make sure your teen has charged their phone and set expectations about checking in and responding to texts or calls.
