Cautious Halloween ahead for children

Zach Seery isn't concerned about people putting foreign objects in his candy bag this Halloween.

The only thing the 8-year-old Cape Girardeau boy is worried about are people who hide behind bushes and jump out at him when he walks up to a house to trick-or-treat Wednesday evening.

But Zach's mother, Teresa Seery, admits that with all the worry over anthrax and terrorist attacks she can't help but feel a little nervous.

"I'm not concerned about real anthrax around here," she said. "But people have been so exposed to the coverage about it that some might try to copy cat."

Like many parents in the area, Seery said Halloween will be the same this year as it has in the past for young children, but there will be changes for older kids.

Seery's 15-year-old son, Brandon, won't be allowed to go door-to-door like he has in the past. This year, Seery said, he will be allowed to go to an organized Halloween event, to a haunted house and then to a friend's house.

"He's not happy about it," Seery said. "But with the world today, you just never know. It's better to be safe."

Experts agree Halloween fun should be balanced with safety.

Inedible treats

Roni Leiderman, a parenting expert and executive director of the Family Center at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., says people handing out treats can help keep things calm. She suggests doling out inedible items -- "stickers, crayons and plastic spider rings."

She says block parties are also a good idea.

Neighbors on Renee Catacalos' street in Houston do that every year. But this year's party, held over the weekend, had a new trick-or-treating twist: A group of older children formed a "Rollerblade patrol" to help keep an eye on younger children.

Several malls around the country have decided to open their doors to trick-or-treaters on Halloween night to be sure kids have a safe place to go.

Some malls, like Westfield Shoppingtown West Park in Cape Girardeau, have had Halloween programs in place for years, while others like the Grapevine Mills mall in Grapevine, Texas, have decided to hold one for the first time. Grapevine Mills will host "Red, White & Boo -- An All-American Halloween." Children there are being encouraged to wear patriotic costumes.

There is yet another way to trick-or-treat that doesn't involve going door-to-door asking for candy. Officials at UNICEF say they will donate all funds that young people and parents collect this Halloween to children in Afghanistan.

Charles Lyons, president of U.S. Fund for UNICEF, says the plan is a way for the relief organization to "show our solidarity" with President Bush, who has suggested that each U.S. child collect $1 for Afghan children.

UNICEF drive

Last year, U.S. children collected $4 million for UNICEF's general fund. Fund spokeswoman Marissa Buckanoff said she hopes as much as $6 million will be collected this year. Parents and children can still get free collection boxes through the UNICEF Web site.

Even with all the tension this year, John Ling of Jackson, Mo., says he still plans to celebrate Halloween with his two daughters, Ashley, 9, and Mercedes, 21 months, like he has every year.

"I'm going to walk up to every door with them like I always do," he said. "And I'll check all their candy before they can eat it."

In Chaffee, Mo., Lori Sadler said she isn't going to let what's going on around the world ruin her annual tradition of trick-or-treating with her nieces, Stevie, 6, and Sidney, 1.

"Every year we go to family and friends' houses who we know we can trust," Sadler said. "This year will be no different."

Heather Kronmueller of the Southeast Missourian contributed to this report.