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A Memorial Day Task: Teach Your Kids to Remember the Fallen

Memorial Day cemetaryDuring one of my classes this past school year, I happened to mention the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. I was a little surprised my descriptions of that tragedy and its aftermath didn’t elicit the kind of reaction I expected. Not that the students were indifferent, it just didn’t seem to draw out the same emotions that I was feeling while sharing that story.

Then it hit me…they are only 14 and 15 years old. How old were they on 9/11? One? Two?

They didn’t live through that day like the rest of America.

They don’t know many of the details.

They have no emotional connection to it.

They were too young for that event to have significant meaning. It’s not their fault. It’s just the reality of when they were born.

So many people died that day. Many more fell in the resulting wars that followed, as they fought to defend our way of life. Today’s youth need to be reminded of that fact.

And not reminded simply of 9/11. But of places like the Persian Gulf, Vietnam, Korea, Normandy, Pearl Harbor and every little skirmish or incident in between where a military serviceman or woman lost their life defending the cause of freedom. These people can’t be remembered enough and it’s up to us as parents to pass that ideal on to the next generation.

If we don’t, how else will they come to learn what has been done for them? How will they learn to appreciate the freedoms they possess?

Memorial Day is more than barbeques and the beginning of summer. It’s a time to honor those who gave their life in serving our country.

To the families of those who have lost a loved one in the line of duty, we say “Thank You.” Their sacrifice will not be forgotten.

Image at Pinterest

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Comments

  1. Leonard Carter says

    Its important to learn how to help kids connect to the events of the past. Its easy for us to realize the disconnect young people today have to 9/11, but its important to recognize it for things further in the past as well.

  2. Well said Brian. I still remember so many details about that day. I was watching the news about the new museum and they were showing what the museum was about and I was in tears after watching it. I can be brought back to that moment in an instant. Although rightfully so there was a lot of news coverage about that day, there are still men and women who are losing their lives today to protect our freedoms. We shouldn’t ever forget that.

  3. Thank you, Brian. It’s always sobering to have a reminder of those who have fallen to protect our rights.

  4. As a child of a retired military serviceman, in our family it is important for us to teach this to our child. I hate that with the ongoing nature of the battles overseas that it has left the mainstream news media, but families lose children to war all the time and it is a sacrifice they are prepared and forced to make everyday. It should be honored and commended as much as possible.

    • The impact on the kids is not addressed nearly enough. Anything we can do to help them cope with the loss would be a positive.

  5. Great post, Brian. It’s important to remember EVERYDAY those veterans and those who have passed away serving the country.

  6. We need to remember always, starting with honoring those who died in service. Happy Memorial Day, Brian.

  7. Hear, hear!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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