My children have no understanding of what it means to not be free. They understand that Mom and Dad might say “no” to something, but the idea that the government could decide where they live or what they wear or what they learn is a foreign concept to them. We have our veterans to thank for this lack of awareness.
Because of them, my children don’t know war in their front yards.
Because of them, my children can sing Christmas carols through their neighborhood.
Because of them, my children can be free to read, write, paint, jump, run, laugh, and play without fear.
Because they have done and continue to do their job so proficiently, it is easy to let their sacrifices go unnoticed. We become so comfortable in our freedom that we forget how easily it could be taken away and how hard someone else is fighting to save it for us.
Today is the day to remember.
Today is the day to take time to say, “thank you.”
Take a moment to call family and friends who are military (active or retired) and say thank you. Let your kids ask them questions (age appropriate, of course).
Sit down as a family and write letters to soldiers. I have collected a list of sites to help you find addresses. One even lets you type it online. They print it and include it in the packages they ship overseas.
If you have the means, check into sending a care package. We did that one year and the kids loved it. Not sure what to write? Check out Some Soldier’s Mom, she has a great post on what to write.
Write A Soldier
- Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, Inc.
- Any Soldier – If you’d like to send a package they have a great page full of suggestions. HOWEVER, they state several times that the letters and colored pages are most important!
- Letters To Soldiers . Org
- Soldiers’ Angels
- Packages From Home
Do you have a little one that isn’t writing yet? Try our printable pages!
There are two different letters. One says “Thank you for protecting my freedoms.” The other says “Thank you for being our hero.” Each one has two versions: one with “God Bless” and one without.
Here are a few other resources for Veteran’s Day activities:
- Enchanted Learning has crafts, books to print, and language worksheets to bring a Veteran’s Day theme to your lessons.
- Notebooking Pages has a great set on Memorials, Monuments and National Parks (which are FREE this weekend!). Scroll down for freebies!
- All Categories
- Check out my Holidays and Homeschool Pinterest Board for more ideas!
Remember singing this in school?
