Going to the cemetery? Keep your kids safe this All Saints Day!

Navigating through an ultra crowded venue while exposed to the elements becomes infinitely trickier if you have to do it with a child – or two or three – in tow. So if you’re bringing your brood to the cemetery this All Souls or All Saints Day, make sure you plan well and that you’re armed with the necessary provisions for your vigil.

Rostum “Toti” Pascasio, former barangay captain of Barangay Bagong Lipunan ng Crame in Quezon City, advises parents to have the following handy while visiting their dearly departed:

• sufficient food and water
• extra garments like a shirt or a jacket in case it rains
• folding/portable chairs and tents or a tarpaulin if there’s space to set up, for convenience and protection
• umbrellas for sudden weather changes
• books, board games and other boredom-busters so that the children won’t complain, wander off and play with candles, lighters and other potentially harmful items.
• hand sanitizers, wipes, tissue paper, soap and a small towel to stay clean. Public toilets usually do not have these supplies.
• medicines in case someone gets sick.

Correspondingly, Pascasio offers these safety and family-friendly tips:

• Wear comfortable and light clothes for your cemetery visit.
• Always keep an eye on your children and know where they are. Ates and kuyas can assist their parents by looking after their younger siblings.
• Prepare for emergencies. Because the best-laid plans can sometimes go awry, parents ought to orient their youngsters on the entry and exit points of the cemetery and pick a particular landmark in case a family member gets lost or separated from the group. It’s a good idea as well for the kids to know where the help desk/center is, who they can approach in case something untoward happens and to be able to identify a police officer.
• Make sure children know their parents’ names and home address. As an added precaution, let a young child wear or carry an ID with the parent or guardian’s name and contact details on it. You never know what can happen in overcrowded places.

Finally, Pascasio reminds parents that congested cemeteries are not ideal sites for kids and that it’d be best to leave the young ones at home. However, if parents really have no one to leave their child with even for a few hours, then parents might want to consider visiting one or two days before or after All Souls and All Saints Day.