‘Stranger danger’ and safety take center stage over trick-or-treating door-to-door
By: CHRISTIAN HARGAS
Staff Writer
Although many STLCC-Meramec students may be past the age of dressing up and collecting candy on Halloween, non-traditional students may have concerns for their children.
In the United States, 41.1 million children ages five to 14 participated in the Halloween activity known as “Trick or Treating,” according to the 2012 Census Bureau. The number of parents who allow their children to engage in taking candy from strangers has continued to decline.
“We do not trust it like we used to,” said Roy Cables, STLCC-Meramec staff member in Student Affairs. “When I was a kid, we did not know anything about stranger danger. Today, no one trusts their kids to avoid stranger danger. Also, our kids are programmed to do so many different things, they do not have time for anything else.”
In 2011, 93 percent of United States households who participated in trick or treating considered their neighborhood safe, according to the Census Bureau.
And 78 percent of these residents also declared their neighborhood safe enough to walk around alone at night.
“It is the safety; it all depends on where you stay,” said Angela Cozart, Meramec staff member in the Business Office. “It is just a big difference in today’s world. I do not think trick or treating will ever be the way it used to be.”
People have moved from the traditional act of trick or treating, Cozart said.
“When I was a kid, it was like Christmas. Everybody participated. It is almost like the kids are left out today because the older generation throws parties; they don’t go trick or treating.”
Candy consumption is typically a concern for parents as well. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2010, 24.7 pounds of candy were consumed by Americans on Halloween.
“Parents just do not want their children to have too much candy,” said Martha Henderson, Meramec reference librarian. “There was also a big scare about people putting razor blades in bags of candy.”
Options for safe consumption of candy and trick or treating still exist, though.
“I know of some parents who take their children trunk or treating,” Henderson said.
Cozart said she agreed.
“There are parents who go take their children to churches for different activities and things,” she said.
