How are you celebrating Memorial Day this year? More importantly, who are you remembering? I was surprised that some of my students had no attachment to this American holiday except to eat food with family. Their response prompted me to ask you about your traditions for celebrating Memorial Day.
Our Kids: Do They Understand the Meaning of Memorial Day?
Maybe younger generations don’t understand Memorial Day because fighting a war via video games is sanitized. TV news has fallen out of favor because much of it has been labeled “fake.” Short takes of war don’t get ratings anymore. Computer videos that solicit the most clicks get seen. Perhaps our kids don’t understand the true bravery of the person who gave his or her life to serve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. Maybe they don’t understand what it takes.
Effective Ways to Educate Younger Generations About Memorial Day
Have you shown your home movies of your family’s military heroes? What about old newspaper clippings or great-grandpa’s war medals? What if you have no members of the military in your lineage? My father was Canadian, so we had no American soldiers on his side of the family. My mother, however, had us kids place a flag or flowers on the grave of her cousin who died in WWII. We were the only relatives here in the United States for him. This was a Memorial Day tradition in our family. Every year until I finished high school, I marched in the Memorial Day parade. Then, as a family, we all went to the gravesite to place the flowers and flag on the grave. We paused in silence for prayer.
Our Obligation
Parents and Grandparents, we have an obligation to talk to our children about remembering those who died in the service of our country. When my younger grandsons were 4 and 7, I brought them toy soldiers and two small American flags. If we lived near my hometown, I would take them to the gravesite of my mother’s cousin to place a flag and flowers there. You know, it’s the tradition thing. It’s a way of passing on our American heritage.
Pause, Reflect, and Remember on Memorial Day
Take advantage of the opportunity to pause, reflect, and remember the ultimate sacrifice of our fellow Americans. Keep the memory of our fallen heroes alive. Could you pass on our American traditions? Show gratitude for all who served and have now passed on. It’s a day to remember.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
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