A quick primer on protesting with children

once-a-polecat:

• Talk to your kids about the issues before you go.  Children often want to have a say in politics, getting on their feet and marching is an excellent start.  
• This should be obvious, but check to be sure it’s a family friendly event that asks people to commit to protest peacefully.  Nothing against more active forms of protest, but you don’t want to be responsible for minors at an event where people are likely to be arrested or police may respond in a volatile or aggravated manner.  At a family friendly protest you will see other families, and probably unions & religious groups marching together with their kids along.
• Apropos of the above point: If you’re bringing teenagers make sure they understand that they are at a peaceful protest and shouldn’t be agitating.  
• Bring water.  More water than that.  I said MORE WATER!  Marching is thirsty business.  Kids over the age of 8 or 9 should be able to carry their own water in a backpack without whining.
• Bring snacks.   But also be prepared to buy snacks from street vendors if there are any.  Those dudes are just trying to make a fair living and you know your kiddos are gonna be begging for churros.
• Bring a large zip-top freezer baggie for trash.  It’s likely trashcans will be stuffed to overflowing.  If you stop in a place for a while to rest or listen to speakers and the kids start to get squirrely, have them each go pick up 5 pieces of trash from people around you.  You want a freezer baggie so it doesn’t leak.
• Keep an eye open for medics, organizers and protester support booths.  It’s just good to know where they are.  
• KNOW WHERE THE PORT-A-POTTIES ARE!!!!
• Hand sanitizer.
• The kids will get bored.  They will try to listen to the speakers and get overwhelmed by upsetting stories.  This is all OK.  If they need to mentally check out for a bit and read a book or play with a small toy, that’s fine.  They’re little kids and this world we’re in is batshit crazy and they can’t absorb it all.  Don’t try to force them to be mentally present the whole time.  
• They will probably love to sing and chant and dance at drum circles and interact with people with megaphones and such.  Let them!
• Be prepared to explain in a matter-of-fact manner unfamiliar religious or cultural practices that people express while protesting.  Be matter-of-fact about the language and ideas expressed on signs.  You may need to give a short history lesson or talk about what unions are.  Let the kids know that not everyone at the protest agrees 100% on all things, but that you are all there to unite behind a particular idea.  
• If your kids are old enough to read fluently, talk ahead of time about whether they should accept and read fliers and pamphlets.  Sometimes political pamphlets advocate ideas or actions you may not agree with… same with protest signs.  Be prepared to talk about that.