I’m not sure how others are adjusting to missed holiday traditions due to pandemic safety concerns, but in my home the topic of potentially missing the greatest candy sweepstakes of the year has been a topic of concern since August. When a beloved tradition like Halloween trick-or-treating changes or expectations are unmet, it’s a challenge at every age.

Today in The Conversation Canada, Sheri Madigan, Rachel Eirich and Craig Jenne of the University of Calgary note that people across Canada are facing a grab-bag of different local conditions with regards to COVID-19 that will shape how children celebrate Halloween.

Whether your area recommends avoiding trick-or-treating or suggests proceeding with caution, it’s important to plan how you will talk to your child about your decisions for the day, for the sake of everyone’s health and well-being.

Also today:

 

Susannah Schmidt

Education + Arts Editor
If your family has decided to trick-or-treat or give out candy, you’ll want to sit down with your kids and lay some ground rules that take the pandemic into consideration. (Shutterstock)

5 tips for a safe Halloween during COVID-19 — and what to do if trick-or-treating is cancelled

Sheri Madigan, University of Calgary; Craig Jenne, University of Calgary; Rachel Eirich, University of Calgary

Experts in child development and infectious disease help parents make informed decisions about Halloween and provide tips for communicating with children effectively.
Canada’s failure to fulfil its commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals will leave our children worse off. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Canada’s woeful track record on children set to get worse with COVID-19 pandemic

Neil Price, University of Toronto; Emis Akbari, University of Toronto

The COVID-19 pandemic risks making Canada's already woeful record on child welfare worse. To safeguard a future for our children governments must proritize their care.
This combination of Sept. 29, 2020, file photos show President Donald Trump, left, and former Vice President Joe Biden during the first presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

20/20 vision needed in 2020: How this U.S. election compares to other tumultuous votes

Ronald W. Pruessen, University of Toronto

The U.S. presidential election is again serving as a symptom and a symbol of a troubled society. Whatever the outcome, history suggests anything but a quick resolution to deeply rooted problems.
In ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray,’ the protagonist remains youthful while a portrait of him ages. (Shutterstock)

Much like Dorian Gray’s portrait, Trump is a reflection of America’s soul

Matthew A. Sears, University of New Brunswick

In Oscar Wilde's novel, 'The Picture of Dorian Gray,' a painted portrait of the protagonist becomes ugly and twisted with age, much like Trump is represented as reflecting all of America's evils.

La Conversation Canada
Les pourfendeurs des livres de croissance personnelle reprochent à leurs auteurs de promouvoir des « recettes » dont l’efficacité reste à prouver. La Conversation Canada

Les livres de croissance personnelle sont utiles. Pourquoi les dénigre-t-on ?

Denis Monneuse, Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM)

Les ouvrages de développement personnel sont accusés de contribuer à la culture du narcissisme. Mais ne sont-ils pas aussi porteurs de valeurs positives ?

COVID-19

Environment + Energy

  • This is how universities can lead climate action

    Gabi Mocatta, University of Tasmania; Rob White, University of Tasmania

    Universities are vital hubs of research and teaching on climate change and, as big organisations, produce significant emissions themselves. They should therefore lead action to limit climate change.

Science + Technology