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Mary and Ernest Thigpen, My Grandparents |
I want to
start this post by wishing a Happy Veteran’s Day from Mommy’s Block Party to
our readers and to say thank you for your service to our readers who are Veterans!
Since my son
was born in January, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about his “firsts,” both
developmental firsts and “calendar” firsts.
As a huge lover of holidays, I’ve spent a ton of time thinking about
Little Bear’s first Easter, Halloween, and most of all Christmas. But I have to admit, that I gave no real thought
to his first Veteran’s Day; there are, I’m sure, a few reasons for that, but sadly,
it is probably as much a conviction of myself as anything, showing that I don’t
spend as much time with our veterans on my mind as I should.
But as we
entered November, and I realized the day was drawing nearer, I found my mind
resting on the veteran I’ve been closest to in my life: my Grandfather, a veteran of World War II, who--along with his twin brother--enlisted on May 20th, 1943, at served with the 794th AAA AW BN (Automatic Weapons Battalion). He became a preacher when he returned from Europe and helped to open a Christian summer camp that has helped to bring countless people to Christ. I know he was proud to have served his country, but I believe he would want to be remembered as a God-fearing man and a loving father and husband; I know I remember him loving me as much as anyone could! He passed away sixteen years ago, his funeral being
held on Veteran’s Day 2013. My Grandfather
was a truly amazing man and as he’s been more on my mind the past few days, I’ve
realized how sad it makes me to know that my son will never get to know him in this
life.
As I’ve thought about telling LB about his Great-Granddaddy, I’ve realized that I didn’t really know how to talk to him about what a veteran was or how to explain war; how something can be so horrible and so important at the same time. I knew as he got older he would understand a little more about war and the law around it (more here on VA disability laws), so I just wanted to start off a conversation. So many are in the same position post-war which is very important to understand. Luckily, I’ll be spared this task for a few more years, but I thought that, if I was struggling with this, others probably were too. So, I turned to the internet and found a resource for just this subject on Military.com, I’m sharing a just a few of their suggestions, but I would invite you to check out the list in it’s entirety as well as their other resources on their website.
Ways to
Teach Your Kids About Veteran’s Day
Attend your
town’s Veteran’s Day Parade:
Frequently, local
parades invite participation from area veterans to represent their branch, so
after the parade find a Veteran and ask him or her about their service. Remember, there are veterans of all ages,
from people who served in World War II to recent retirees. You can also invite a veteran you know over
for coffee or on a family outing and listen to his or her stories.
Give Thanks:
Encourage or
help your child write a note or draw a picture to thank a veteran. Deliver it to someone you know or visit
Operation Gratitude to have it delivered.
Donate:
This can be
money (help your children pick out an organization that helps veterans), time (volunteer
with a local organization), or your gently used items. Or, if you know a local veteran, offer a
personal act of kindness and service, such as raking their leaves or bringing
by a homemade frozen meal.
I hope you
find these simple first steps helpful in talking to your kids about Veteran’s Day and again invite you to check out the full list and other resources on Military.com.
If you have
any other ideas for Veteran’s Day activities for your kids, please share them
in the comments below!
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