Kids love the magic of Halloween: Trick-or-treating, classroom parties and trips to a neighborhood haunted house. But for moms and dads, often there is a fine line between Halloween fun and safety concerns. Here are a few things for you to keep in mind when taking your little Goblins out for Trick or Treating… This is the scariest spookiest holiday of the year and it never hurts to have a little refresher on the precautions of keeping your little ones safe.

1. Light Up.. Make sure those kiddos (and you) are easily seen while out walking the streets. Have plenty of flashlights and glow sticks to hand out before heading out. If you’re doing goody bags for a party consider including those. Dimly lit streets, children in costumes they can’t see out of, and cars can make a terrible combination. Children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year. Another really bad combination is a lit jack o lantern and a costume that isn’t flame retardant! Check those labels. Only flame retardant materials should be used on costumes.

2. Make sure those costumes fit properly. They should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard. According the the National Safety Council, falls are the leading cause of unintentional injuries on Halloween. Who knew?

3. It should go without saying, but when it comes to accessories, it’s not ok to give little junior an actual samurai sword to complete his look. Make sure that all swords, knives, daggars and sharp objects are made from cardboard or flexible materials.. If you’re tripping over your too long costume the last thing you need is a sharp blade to fall on.

4. Check that candy. In case you haven’t been watching Law and Order, it’s a crazy world we live in and people do very strange things. If you happen to get fruit (how dare they) make sure it’s washed thoroughly and cut into small pieces.. Remember the razor blade stories we all grew up with? Any unwrapped candy should be tossed without question. (and those gross little peanut butter candies that are wrapped in black or orange paper, throw those out on sheer principle.) Just remember, when in doubt, throw it out.

If you’re going to be out driving this Halloween here are some tips for you!

Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs
Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully
At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark clothing
Discourage new, inexperienced drivers from driving on Halloween

Have a Spooky, but Safe Halloween!

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I’ve met a lot of moms who say they’re interested in homeschooling but don’t think they’re patient enough. It’s the number one “excuse” I hear from people on why they don’t homeschool.

If it’s not for your family, that’s great! You know what works for you. But if the feeling of needing patience perfection is holding you back, know that I don’t have enough patience either!

Aimee Smith is a homeschool speaker and author. Her first book was published last month. If you’re interested you can find it here. Aimee has been kind enough to share her thoughts on homeschooling and patience. If you’re interested in checking out her website you can find her at aimeesmith.com.

“I’m not patient enough to homeschool,” says the public school mom to the homeschool mom she meets at the zoo.

“I’m not patient enough to homeschool,” says the private school mom to the mom on the sidelines of the sports field.

“I’m not patient enough to homeschool,” says the mom who secretly wants to homeschool but doesn’t think she can.

“I’m not patient enough to homeschool,” says the struggling homeschool mom to herself.

“Me either!” says the homeschool mom who everyone else thinks has it all together.

As a homeschool mom of eleven years, I often wonder why I receive this response so frequently when I tell someone what I do. At times, I have responded with a blank stare because I cannot fathom how others assume I’m so patient. I know the truth of my heart and my homeschool, so I just couldn’t think of how to reply.

Why do others think we, the homeschool moms, are so patient?

A major assumption of that other mom is hidden within the comment I’m not patient enough, but the focus is more on the one asking. Rather than belittling yourself in comparison to the mom you think is so patient, try asking her for the truth. You’ll find she’s really not so different from you.

When did patience become a prerequisite for being a homeschool mom?

Rather than assuming patience is required for homeschooling, remember a fundamental truth of parenting. We don’t arrive at perfect character before becoming a parent. Instead, parenting reveals how much growth we need. It’s the same with homeschooling. Character is developed through it, not before it.

How can we all find help in our struggle with impatience?

Impatience is an area of common struggle, especially in our fast-paced, activity-filled, instant gratification culture. With the constant demands of parenthood, we would be wise to expect the struggle of impatience. A few reminders will help us all, regardless of the type of education we choose.

1. Parenting is hard. It’s hard regardless of our family’s education path, and impatience is a common struggle. Homeschool, public school, private school, hybrid school. . . it will all be hard. But it’s the hard areas of life that provide opportunities to grow.

2. Perfection is not the goal of motherhood. And we all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Would you have wanted to live with a perfect mom? Neither does your child. Your child needs you to love them, understand what it’s like to mess up, and offer grace in the failures.

3. Comparison will help no one. When a mom says, “I’m not patient enough to homeschool,” the assumption is more about herself than the other mom. Why do we tend to criticize ourselves so quickly? Let’s choose to focus on our own strengths as well as one another’s strengths.

4. The moments after matter. When you lose your patience, you have a beautiful opportunity. This is the moment to model saying I’m sorry to your child. This is the moment to model humility and reconciliation. This is the moment to teach your child how to deal with real-life relationships.

5. We can all grow in patience. The sigh of “I’m not patient enough” implies we want to be more patient. Don’t accept this is just how you are. Make a decision and take practical steps toward change. It might be two steps forward, one step back, but that’s still progress forward.

Choose a few practical steps to prevent situations that quickly kill your patience. Count to ten before responding. Anticipate the unexpected. Create margin in your schedule.  Leave early. Expect your child to misbehave.

If you do homeschool, the same principles apply. Count to ten before responding when you child pitches a fit over the math lesson. Anticipate the unexpected spills, screams, and squabbles during your expertly planned agenda. Create margin by allowing half an hour for the fifteen minute lesson. Leave early because walking ten yards to the car can take twenty minutes. Expect your child to misbehave because that’s what children do.

Public, private, homeschool, and any other type of moms, we’re not that different from one another. Patience is not a prerequisite for being a mom or a homeschooler. As we walk through the daily struggles, we can all choose practical steps toward patience.

If you’re considering homeschooling, lack of patience does not disqualify you. If you’re already homeschooling and impatience creeps in, remember you’re not the only one. If you’re comparing yourself to others, recognize we’re not so different from one another.

I finally learned how to respond in that awkward moment someone assumes I am oh-so patient just because I homeschool: “Me either!” But I’m slowly learning, and you can, too.

About Abby:

Abby is a Writer, Wife and Homeschooling Mama to 3. She lives in Springville, AL with her Family.

In the wake of the recall of inclined devices such as the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper, some parents have been wondering if it’s okay to let babies sleep in car seats.

Recent recalls of products such as the Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper and reports linking inclined sleep devices with 54 infant deaths have highlighted the danger of putting babies to sleep on an incline. The angled position can cause an infant’s head to tilt forward and compress the airway, increasing the risk of suffocation.

In fact, since Consumer Reports published their initial investigation into inclined sleepers, they’ve received several inquiries from parents who wonder whether it’s okay for babies to sleep in car seats, since they also position babies at an incline.

The answer is, yes, you can let your baby sleep for short stretches in a car seat, as long it’s used properly, says Emily A. Thomas, Ph.D., an automotive safety engineer at CR’s Auto Test Center who is also a specialist in pediatric injury biomechanics and a certified child passenger safety technician. Here’s what you need to know:

First, car seats are essential to keep children safe when traveling in vehicles. The angle of rear-facing car seats (the kind for infants) has been tested extensively and is necessary to protect a baby’s head and spine in a collision. “While the risks of sleeping on an incline are real and serious, they are vastly outweighed by the protection a well-designed and properly installed car seat offers during a crash,” Thomas says.

Second, car seats—even those that you can remove from a vehicle to lock into a stroller—are meant to be used only while you’re with your baby and observing him or her, not for extended or overnight sleep, as the Rock ‘n Play Sleeper and similar products were marketed to be used.

And last, infant car seats are designed to include a five-point harness system, which is key to maintaining proper and safe positioning. Infants don’t yet have the neck or torso strength to keep their heads up and prevent slouching. “Infant car seats have been designed and tested not only to protect your baby in a collision but also to ensure that if your baby does fall asleep in the seat, the risks of slumping down, chin to chest and blocking airflow, are low,” Thomas says. “Still, car seats aren’t appropriate for extended, unobserved sleep.”

It’s time again to kick those pumpkin decorating skills up a notch and let us see that you’re going above and beyond our own Lazy Moms Pumpkin Decorating Ideas and doing something super cool with your pumpkins this year!

We want to see how creative our readers are.. Whether you carve, paint, or wax your pumpkins with melted crayon, we want to see what you’ve done, so we’re hosting a little contest.. We want you to submit your finest creation for a chance to win 4 Admission Tickets to Boo at the Zoo..

Submit your photos to us at contact@birminghammommy.com or message them to us on Facebook.. We’ll be featuring some of our favorites on social media throughout the next week, The deadline for entries will be noon on Sunday, the 20th and we’ll announce the winner Monday, October 21st!

Make sure to include your name and an email where we can notify you if you win.

All pictures submitted are subject to posting on any and all of BirminghamMommy.com social media.

Thinking about taking your kids to the Tomb of the Risen Dead at Desoto Caverns but not sure what to expect when you get there? Abby checked it out and is reporting back with 5 things you need to know before you go!

1. It’s not scary!

Despite the scary name, DeSoto has created a very family friendly experience. There is nothing too scary for even the smallest children. While children under 12 are welcome to wear costumes, adults are prohibited from wearing costumes. None of the characters for the show are “scary.” And as always with DeSoto Caverns Park, it is a smoking and alcohol free park.

2. Wear comfortable shoes.

There is a lot of walking around the park involved in collecting the clues and emblems you need to complete the tasks, so you’ll need comfortable shoes. Also for the show in the cave, you must be wearing closed toed shoes. No flip-flops or heels are allowed in the cave.

3. Show up at least 20 minuets early for the Illuminations of Harvest show.

It is the main show in the cave. It takes a few minutes to walk everyone down in to the cave and have them seated. The doors to the cave are closed 15 minutes before the show begins to avoid interruptions. There are only two showings of this nightly, you don’t want to miss it! Also, pay attention to the showtimes for the other attractions, its less distracting for the actors and performers when everyone shows up on time.

4. Pay attention to your map.

The experience is immersive and there are tasks and clues for you to help complete the quest that they have planned for you. You’ll want to check your map you are given when you enter the park for instructions on how to go in the correct sequence to each attraction. You’ll also be welcome to interact with the performers and ask questions along the journey!

5. Don’t forget to visit the Cave Cafe.

The cafe will be open during the events so don’t forget to stop by for a pumpkin spice latte or some fudge! There will also be other food options like hot cocoa or s’mores packages to roast over the fire by the outside movie.

DeSoto Caverns Park has done such a wonderful job making a spooky interactive experience, that you definitely don’t want to miss it!

Tomb of the Risen Dead is happening every Friday and Saturday night in October 6:30pm – 10:30pm and you can purchase tickets here.

For more Halloween events happening around Birmingham, make sure to check our full list of Halloween Happenings!