1. Make sure your children are wearing warm clothes under their costumes.

2. Only allow them to wear costumes made out of fire-retardant material. Also make sure the costumes are loose enough to allow freedom of movement, but short enough so the child won't trip. Believe it or not, falls are the leading cause of accidents on Halloween. And don't forget to decorate costumes with reflective tape or some sort of glow-in-the-dark tape.

3.  Be sure that costume accessories such as swords, canes, and saber lights are made with flexible materials.

4. Make certain that masks have adequate openings for the nose, mouth, and eyes for safe vision and breathing. Likewise make sure to use only safe and wash-able face makeup and body paints.

5. Supply a small flashlight for your child, as well as light-colored or luminous bags to collect their treats in.

6. Work out the trick-or-treating route and times in advance. Emphasize safety rules regarding traffic and strangers. And most important, plan on walking the appointed course with your kids, especially if they are under 12 (if they are over 12, send them in groups). This makes trick-or-treating more of a family activity and provides a better measure of safety as well.

7. Emphasize to your child the importance of bringing candy home for inspection before eating any of it. Then make sure that you sort through the goodies and throw away anything dubious.

The one key element overarching all these suggestions is your commitment as a parent. Comedian Bill Cosby in his book "Fatherhood" said, "I've chosen to be involved in the raising of my children."

As parents, we must make a commitment to be actively involved in the lives of our children. And the more involved we become, the more time we must sacrifice, just remember that parenting will always cost you something, whether you pay now or pay later. The difference is that if you wait until later, it's always more costly.

Taken from: "Halloween: What's a Christian To Do" by Steve Russo.  © 1998 by Steve Russo. Published by  Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon. Used by permission.

Steve Russo is an internationally known communicator, bestselling author, featured speaker of the TV program 24/SEVEN and host of the nationally syndicated radio show Real Answers. Steve is also the cohost for Focus on the Family’s teen talk radio show, Life on the Edge Live!