A Safe, Spooky Halloween!

When the ghouls and goblins play, here's what you should know to keep your little Casper and Cinderella safe and sound.

The jack-o-lantern is carved and sitting on the front porch in anticipation. The costumes are all picked out and ready to slide on at a moment's notice. The candy is sitting in the bowl beside your front door. And your children are panting like wild dogs, ready to hit the streets and grab all the teeth-rotting goodness they can. But before they head out for a devilish night of trick-or-treating, make sure Halloween is as safe as it is spooky.

In Costume

While getting your kids prepped for a night of friends, fun, and candy, ensure their costumes won't put them in harm's way. Be sure your child's costume isn't so long that it makes it difficult to walk. Also, have your child wear shoes that he or she can move in with ease.

High heels or strange footwear may pose a tripping problem or make it hard to move out of the way of oncoming traffic. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eyeholes are large enough for your child to see out of easily. In addition to the costume hanging on your child's body, it's a good idea to know what accessories your child should carry. One of the most important is a flashlight or glow stick and some reflective taping. This will help your child avoid falling in holes and help cars see your child from far away. For older children not being supervised by an adult, it's a good idea to have them carry cell phones in case of an emergency. Kids should also be discouraged to carry pretend guns, as they can be mistaken for real guns during the dark Halloween night.

On the Search

As you probably know, the most dangerous aspects of Halloween show up during the hunt for candy. Here are some tips to give your kids for a safe and fun Halloween.

• Don't take candy from strangers.
• Don't eat unwrapped candy or food.
• Have an adult look over all candy before eating. (You can also take it to your local fire department for a closer look.)
• Go trick-or-treating during the day if possible.
• Older kids who are going out on their own should plan the route, so parents know when the kids will be home.
• Don't go inside a stranger's car or home.
• Stick with a group.
• Walk on sidewalks and driveways and don't run.
• Cross the street at designated crosswalks.
• Only go to houses that are well lit.

At Home

While the majority of Halloween safety is centered around trick-or-treaters, candy givers are also responsible for keeping kids safe. If you're going to be handing out treats at your house, keep walkways clear to allow safe passage for trick-or-treaters. Also, be sure that lit candles don't put any visitors at risk for catching fire. Though most costumes are flame resistant, it is still possible for a dangerous accident to occur. With a little caution, you can prevent accidents from occurring on your front porch.

In the Car

In addition to home safety, road safety is also your responsibility if you're driving your children around during Halloween. When driving around to find the biggest and best treasure troves of candy, be very cautious. Any time you're on neighborhood streets, drive particularly slow, and don't expect children to know the rules of the road. This caution will prevent dangerous or even deadly accidents during Halloween.

Take It off the Streets

During the last few years, a new phenomenon gives safety-conscious parents an alternative to the traditional house-to-house trick-or-treating of the good old days. Held at shopping malls, churches, and other public meeting places, trunk-or-treating takes place in a single parking lot.

It works like this: Participants bring plenty of candy in the trunks of their cars and hand it out to dressed up youngsters. Once kids get their fill of candy, they head home or hang around for other fun activities. This type of event makes it easier for parents to keep up with their little bumblebees and sorcerers, while allowing the kids to get plenty of candy without having to walk far.

BOOTCAMP IS OUTSIDE TODAY!

Bundle up, its a sunny but chilly 49 degrees right now but Bootcamp will be in the park today!

Sizing up your child's bicycle

Need to get your son or daughter a new bike? You can get the right size the first time.

Learning to ride a bicycle is a right of passage for children across the world. In order to help your child make the passage as comfortably and safely as possible, you'll need to pick out a bicycle for your child that fits him or her appropriately. To do this, you'll need to follow a few easy steps.

Step 1: Measure Your Child's Inseam

The first step to determine what size bicycle your child needs is to measure his or her inseam. To do this, grab a measuring stick or tape measure, have your child stand up straight, and measure the distance from the crotch of your child's pants down to his or her ankle. Write the measurement down and get moving to your local bike shop.

Step 2: Match Inseam with Bike Size

Now that you have your child's inseam measured, it's time to figure out exactly what size bike you need. Here is a general idea of the size you'll be looking for, based on your child's inseam.

Inseam	Bycicle Size
14-24 inches 35-42 centimeters	12 Inches
16-20 inches 40-50 centimeters	14 inches
18-22 inches 45-55 centimeters	16 Inches
20-24 inches 50-60 centimeters	18 Inches
22-25 inches 55-63 centimeters	20 Inches
24-28 inches 60-72 centimeters	24 Inches

Step 3: Let Your Child Try It Out

As careful as you may be measuring your child's inseam, this is not a perfect measure of what size bike you ought to get for him or her. In order to make sure your child's bike fits just right, you'll need to have him or her take a seat on the bike and take it for a test ride. Then and only then can you determine whether the bike fits well.

Step 4: Watch Your Child Ride

When your child goes on his or her first ride on the new bike, pay careful attention. If your child's knees get close to the handlebars, the bicycle is too small. Also, if he or she can't reach the pedals or easily touch the ground when stopped, the bike is too big. Remedy these problems by getting a bigger or smaller bike as needed. Ideally, your child will be able to stand up while straddling the bicycle (feet not on pedals) and his or her legs will extend almost completely when pedaling downward.

Don't Forget the Head

In addition to getting the right size bicycle for your child, you ought to make sure your child is well protected each and every time he or she hops on a bike. For this, you must insist that your child always wear a helmet. While kneepads and elbow pads will help your child avoid any short-term scrapes and bruises, a helmet guards against serious trauma that can affect your child for the remainder of his or her life.

A helmet that fits has the following characteristics:

• snug without being overly tight
• sits level on the head, not tilted forward or backward
• rests approximately one inch above the eyebrows
• doesn't shift from side to side when the wearer moves his or her head
• presses against the forehead when the wearer opens his or her mouth

Any time a helmet is in an accident, replace it immediately. You may not see cracks that may have occurred and put your child's health at risk. Also, if a helmet's outer shell melts from excessive heat, purchase a new helmet, as this, too, can weaken a helmet.

Our New Look!

It's been awhile since I've posted an update to the blog.  I've been hard at work overhauling the website and integrating the blog into it.  This should make it so much easier for me to provide you with great health and fitness info including workout tips, recipes as well as a better more streamlined vehicle to answer your questions!  I'd love feedback on what you think of the new site!