This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You’re listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

Halloween may sound like fun with costumes, candy, pumpkins and bobbing for apples, but it also can be scary for young children. Wichita State University school psychologist trainer Susan Unruh encourages parents to make Halloween a magical time.

Unruh: “Halloween, I think overall, is a very magical time for children. Children love it. And regardless of what you do, you will be making memories with your child so make sure you make good memories and let them be as involved as possible with what you do. But remember that there are other aspects, such as safety, that we have to think about.”

The experience for children can vary greatly, and certainly parents may want to exercise some precaution when taking young children out for the first time.

Unruh: “Here are some safety tips. When you take your children out trick or treating, and of course you’re going to be with them at all times, make sure that you’re close to them and don’t let them out of your sight. If you have to walk down streets without sidewalks, make sure everyone wears something fluorescent or shiny. And then check over what they have in their trick or treat bag before they eat it.”

“You know, for young children, say 4 to 8 years old, we want them to believe in magic, such as Santa and the tooth fairy, so we shouldn’t be really surprised if they get scared by skeletons and ghosts and goblins. I would say let them help choose a costume that’s not going to be scary to them, and then if you choose their costume, let them be Superman or a cowgirl and not the scary skeleton.”

What’s really scary is that amount of candy that gets consumed on Halloween and the days after Halloween. Unruh explains.

Unruh: “Well, I’m so glad that the First Lady has taken up the cause of keeping our children healthy. You know some children can’t control (themselves); they have a medical condition and they can’t control the obesity. But most of our kids, you know, don’t exercise enough. They eat too much fast food, and so you want to be careful when they bring home their bag of candy. You’ve got to limit how much that they will eat the first night and then after that.”

Unruh suggests that parents of young children steer clear of the frightening aspects of Halloween.

Unruh: “If you’re doing things with your children, and do as much as you can with them, steer clear of the haunted houses and scary movies, especially for our young children. It’s just not developmentally appropriate, and you can end up with a situation where your child is going to not want to go to bed by themselves. So, just steer clear of those kinds of experiences.”

At the very least, Unruh encourages parents to help their children enjoy the season.

Unruh: “And remember, overall you are going to be making memories. Make them magical, fun memories. Let your child spend as much time as possible with you, and make it safe.”

There have been few studies to examine how the holiday affects children. Child psychologists generally caution parents that the fright aspects of Halloween can be too much for the very young, and advise adults to keep a close eye on children and remind them of what is real and what is not.

According to Penn State psychologist Cindy Dell Clark, who interviewed parents and children after three Halloweens, younger children may be unwilling participants in the whole ritual.

The key ingredient in the recipe of Halloween fright is, of course, death. Writing in an anthropological journal, Clark said: “Intriguingly, Halloween is a holiday when adults assist children in behaviors taboo and out of bounds. It is striking that on Halloween, death-related themes are intended as entertainment for the very children whom adults routinely protect.”

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.