Halloween Advice From One Blind Parent to Another

Here’s a story for all the other parents who are blind on how to have a safe and enjoyable Halloween night with your children.

A Personal Trick-or-Treating Story From a Parent Who is Blind

I have six children and fortunately they all can see, but, when they are really young you cannot depend on them guiding you.  They are very excited and tend to want to run off.  The best thing to do is to go with other sighted adults so they can help you out.  If this is not possible then make sure you are in a familiar area so you don’t get lost like I did one year.

I got home late from work one Halloween evening and took my 5 year old daughter out just the two of us.  I didn’t bring my dog guide since I didn’t think I would need him.  Our neighborhood was a typical straight street, but, at one end it led into a group of circular roads.

As I mentioned it was a little late so many of the trick-or-treaters were gone.  Needless to say I got totally turned around and well lost.  I didn’t want my little girl to be scared so as we walked I was making up stories and asking her to use her witch powers to find our street.  The other good thing was that she had a witch broom so I took it and used it as a cane to help find our way home.

We did make it, and wouldn’t you know it after I figured out where we were I ran in to another parent who asked if we needed any help.  I said not now thanks.

Take it from me, it’s important to know the area ahead of time and set-up a trick-or-treating route before taking your kids out on the streets.  It’s one thing for kids to be a little scared of ghostly decorations and the twisted costumes they might see on Halloween night, but the last thing anyone wants is for them to be scared about not finding their way home.

Have fun and like I said earlier try to stay with a group.

– Lou Fioritto, co-owner of Braille Works