My kids had school yesterday on Veteran's Day, when a lot of area schools had the day off. In fact, in previous years, our district has also had off on Veteran's Day. In the past, the holiday has been spent going to the dentist for a check-up or the doctor for the flu shot. All in all, it was usually a productive day for our family. But, that's not what Veteran's Day is meant to be about, is it?
We should be taking the time to recognize and pay tribute to the brave men and women who have fought to keep this country free and safe, especially on the holiday marked for this. While I'm a patriotic person and supportive of our military, I don't think I have ever talked to my kids about the importance of Veteran's Day in years past. Of course, my kids loved the holiday because it meant a day off from school. Yesterday, they seemed somewhat disgruntled that school was in session, but it turned out to be the best Veteran's Day for them ever.
I happened to be at the school in the morning yesterday, when the principal asked the kids to walk outside of their classrooms and stand in the hall while the music teacher lead them in "My Country 'Tis of Thee." It was one of those chills-evoking moments, listening to hundreds of tiny voices sing that song. They went back to their classes and learned about various aspects of our military. In my older son's class, a veteran came and spoke to them. Part of my son's homework was to write about his impressions of what the veteran said. He was so excited to tell me all of the interesting details that were shared with them, that he had trouble settling down to write about it. I could tell he had an overwhelming amount of respect for this veteran and others like him.
I was so thrilled with the fact that my children had actually appreciated and absorbed the true meaning of Veteran's Day. I don't think that schools should be closed on this holiday. I think it's vitally important that our children go to school on Veteran's Day to learn about some of the most important citizens our country has. And, I think that veterans should make an effort to share their experiences through the schools on this day. This is the most appropriate way to recognize the sacrifices made by our veterans.
