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Dear Heloise: As Halloween approaches and children get excited to go trick-or-treating, it's important to remember their safety. There are things that families should remind their children of before they go out trick-or-treating. These are a few fundamental tips to keep them safe:
• Never enter a stranger's home, even if they live on your street. There should be no need to go inside.
• Don't let them eat any candy until you can inspect it.
• Sometimes children are fascinated by Halloween decorations, but ask them not to touch them. Better to be safe than sorry.
• Use face paint or makeup rather than a mask that might slip and cover their eyes while they're walking or crossing a street.
• If you or another adult can go with them, all the better, but they should go in groups if you can't accompany them. A child left alone is an easy target for a predator.
• Remind them to say "thank you" for their candy before they turn to leave. — Isabel H., Royal Oak, Michigan
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Dear Heloise: It's a shame that people don't write letters anymore. My husband passed away nine years ago, and after the funeral and all the work I needed to do to get everything and everyone settled, I dug out some old letters from my husband that I stored in my old hope chest. He wrote them while he was stationed in the Pacific during World War II. We were newly married — I was 19, and he was 23. It brought back so many wonderful memories.
I know you encourage people to stay in contact with friends and family, and with our busy lives, it's very important to know that we have people we can talk to who hopefully will not judge us. It lets us know we are not alone, and for a great many people, that connection is a lifeline. — Melissa N., Chelsea, Maryland