This past Halloween, in a town just a little bit southwest of here, someone found a needle in their trick or treat candy. The next day someone said they found staple in a piece of their candy. The first report ended up being true, the second was false.
A local news website showed a picture of the candy with the needle in it. It was probably two inches long, stuck through the edge of the wrapper. What was the person that did this trying to prove? I always thought the stories about razor blades in apples were just urban legends, but I guess this type of thing really does happen.
The comment section of the online news story was full of parents saying they check their kid’s candy at each house or they only go trick or treat at someone’s house if they personally know him or her. Some parents took their candy to the hospital to have it x-rayed. Finally, some parents don’t take their kids trick or treating at all, they just go to an indoor event, like a mall, to get candy instead.
At first I thought these parents seemed overbearing, but then I started thinking maybe we were just too careless. Am I a bad parent for not checking my kids halloween candy? Honestly, the only checking I did was to look for my favorite candy to sneak out of their trick or treat baskets.
I guess as parents, we are all searching for that perfect balance between being too overprotective and too careless.
Now if you will excuse me, it’s time for me to go “check” on some fun size Snickers bars in my kids’ trick or treat baskets.
Happy Parenting!
-Pete
www.facebook.com/petetheblogger
