My granddaughters have been a great resource for market-testing my ideas—which is why I asked my ten-year-old granddaughter what she thought about a title for a book I was writing about Halloween safety. The proposed title was Taking the Scary Out of Halloween.

"But I don’t want the scary to be taken out of Halloween!" she protested. "That’s what makes it fun!"

I laughed out loud, and then said, "Obviously you don’t remember your first trick-or-treat experience when the first door you knocked on was opened by a woman wearing a witch’s costume. That was the end of trick-or-treating for you for that night!"

My granddaughter giggled. "Oh yeah. I remember that. I had to sleep with Mom and Dad for a week."

There’s a lot about Halloween that can scare little kids. But the truth is, older kids are not immune to the hazards that can turn a pleasant Halloween experience into a nightmare. And even though older kids might enjoy dancing with a little danger on October 31, some basic common-sense guidelines still apply. Ten safety guidelines are featured in my book: Taking the Scary Out of Halloween.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #1 - Avoid wearing Halloween masks or costumes that cover your face and make it difficult for you to see or breathe.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #2 - Avoid wearing Halloween costumes that are too big or too long and might cause you to trip and fall.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #3 - Wear comfortable shoes that will not hurt your feet or cause you to trip and fall while you are trick-or-treating.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #4 – Wear some kind of light or reflector while trick-or-treating so that people driving cars or bikes can see you and avoid running into you.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #5 - Be sure that an adult is with you at all times while you are trick-or-treating.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #6 - Use a flashlight while trick-or-treating to light your way in areas that do not have lighted streets or sidewalks.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #7 - Obey all of the laws for pedestrians while trick-or-treating.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #8 - Eat a nourishing meal before you begin eating any of the Halloween treats that you collect.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #9 - Have an adult examine all of the Halloween treats that you collect to make sure that they are safe for you to eat.

SAFETY GUIDELINE #10 - Avoid making yourself sick by eating too many Halloween treats.

In addition to staying safe, there are five things that children can do to make Halloween a more enjoyable experience for everyone. The following tips are also included in my book: Taking the Scary Out of Halloween.

TIP #1 - When you trick-or-treat at someone’s home, take only one item unless more is offered.

TIP #2 - When you are trick-or-treating with others, avoid insisting on getting the best or the biggest treat for yourself.

TIP #3 - Trick-or-treating works best when everyone takes turns getting a treat. It also works best to wait your turn to get your treat.

TIP #4 - If you don’t like the treat that is being offered, avoid saying so.

TIP #5 - Be thankful for all that you are given. Remember that the second most important thing to say after you say, "Trick-or-treat" is "Thank you!"

In our family, Halloween ranks among the top three "Most Fun Holidays of the Year." That’s why preparations are already underway to make this Halloween the best one ever. Those preparations began with the unveiling of my brand new book.

"I see that you took my advice and added a whole lot of fun activities," my granddaughter said proudly as she flipped through the pages of the book. "Just having the safety guidelines would have been too boring."

"Spoken like a true thrill-seeker," I said.

Then we both smiled.

Joy Berry Books website: www.joyberrybooks.com

Taking the Scary Out of Halloween (sold exclusively at Barnes and Noble):

http://bit.ly/c4r553