While our children spend weeks obsessing over the perfect Halloween costume, it appears us mums spend weeks agonising over the various pitfalls that accompany the spooky season.
With 98% of families in Ireland celebrating Halloween this year, there exist a number of issues which cause grave worry to the parents of wannabe ghosts and ghouls.
According to a MummyPages survey, parents in Ireland harbour major concerns regarding fire-related accidents, the consumption of sugary food and the possibility of allergic reactions as the 31st draws ever closer.
And yet despite the fact that figures relating to fire-related incidents are on the increase every year, a worrying 41% of mums surveyed admit that they fail to check safety regulations on children's Halloween garments.
Commenting on the issue, MummyPages, Mum-in-Residence Laura Haugh, said: “This year, we are urging mums to check the safety regulations on their children’s Halloween costumes and to avoid highly flammable materials.”
“To protect from injury, mums should ensure their children wear clothes such as woollen tights or jeans under their costume which works as a barrier in case their costume catches alight," advises Laura.
Shining a light on the worst case scenario, Laura explains: “If the worst does happen, children should know the 'stop, drop and roll' drill which allows the ground to be the means of suffocating a fire and not a person's hands."
Further to costume concerns, a large percentage of mums reveal that they struggle with the prospect of allowing their children to indulge in their annual Halloween haul.
Our findings show that 93% of mums ration the amount of sweets their children eat on Halloween night and in the following days, while 72% of mums end up throwing away some of their children’s treats – an approach which is welcomed by MummyPages.
“With childhood obesity on the rise in Ireland, we are relieved that many of our MummyPages mums are taking steps to ensure that their children to do not over indulge in the sugary treats ever present in their Halloween haul,” says Laura.
While the overindulgence of sugary foods raises alarm with most parents, there exist another percentage of parents who fear for their child's wellbeing as a result of food allergies and intolerance.
According to MummyPages research, one in five mums in Ireland have a child suffering from food allergies and / or intolerance, with this figure increasing steadily every year.
As a result of this, 70% of mums are forced to play Bad Cop as they censor their children’s haul of goodies and assess what can and can't be consumed after an evening spent trick or treating.
