Raising Patriotic Kids 

By Julia Keller

This time of year provides several wonderful opportunities to help our kids develop a love of — and an appreciation for — our country.  First of all, it is election time, and there are several ways to involve children in the voting process.  Fall also contains several holidays that give us an opportunity to make U.S. history come alive as well as to remember our veterans.  Here are some tips to get you started:

TEACH KIDS HOW ELECTIONS WORK. Even children as young as early-elementary-school age can get involved in learning about elections if you keep things simple and fun. (Wikipedia.com explains midterm elections in easy-to-understand terms at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midterm_elections.)  Once the midterm elections have passed, you can start following the next presidential election with your child.  For more information, visit Kids Voting USA, an educational website for grades K through 12, at www.kidsvotingusa.org. 

TAKE THE KIDS TO THE POLLS. “The most important thing you can do to help generate your kids’ interest in the public process is to take them to vote with you,” says Marika Bergsund, the mother of three kids ages 13, 10 and 8. “They have all been voting with us since they were toddlers. We always include them in reviewing the voting materials and prepping our sample ballot. And we let them help in the voting booth,” she adds. “We treat voting like a very special privilege that should be valued — which it is!”

FOLLOW LOCAL POLITICS. Kids need to know that their mayor, city council and school board make decisions that affect their lives.  “We follow all local elections to help our 11-year-old daughter understand the importance of every single vote,” says Joyce Fahey. After a city-council election in a nearby town was won by less than 10 votes, “we talked about the fact that the losing candidate undoubtedly had 10 friends who were ‘just too busy’ to take the time to vote,” she adds.

SING AMERICA’S SONGS. A University of Florida study found that we are losing a large part of our national identity because we so seldom sing traditional American songs. Researchers note that today’s children are more likely to know the lyrics to Britney Spears’ “Oops, I Did It Again” than to patriotic, folk and traditional children’s songs. “Although Americans say that the singing of folk songs and songs of our heritage is important, we are teaching very few of them in the schools,” says music professor Russell Robinson, who supervised the study. That’s why it’s more important than ever to enjoy these songs at home. CDs of classic American songs are available at your local library. Visit www.scoutsongs.com for lyrics to many traditional and patriotic American songs.

VISIT AMERICA’S HISTORIC SITES. Here in Pennsylvania we live within an hour or two of numerous places that can help our children learn the story of our nation’s history and struggles.  In addition, we are not too far from Washington D.C.  According to Joy Hall, mother of two, a visit to our nation’s capital helps kids to “absorb the enormity of the greatness of our nation… the memorials, the Smithsonian, and the Capitol building are all really awe-inspiring to kids.” Michelle Erickson’s sons, ages 12 and 10, learned a great deal during a recent family trip to Boston. “We saw the Freedom Trail, Paul Revere's house and a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party,” she says. Both parents agree that it’s helpful to encourage kids to read up on the area ahead of time so that the kids have a greater appreciation for what they’re seeing. “And it’s important on these visits to talk about the sacrifices made by the first settlers to America,” Erickson says.

TALK WITH A VETERAN.  Veteran’s Day (November 11^th) provides a great opportunity to focus on our country’s history and those who have sacrificed for our freedom.  “My grandson’s school presents a patriotic program each year,” says Ellen Herron. Veterans and public- safety officers are invited, along with family and friends. “The students each write a ‘Dear Soldier’ letter, some of which are read during the program,” she adds. Other families report that a visit to a veterans’ hospital was particularly meaningful for their family. Interviewing a veteran is a great way for kids to learn more about history. Visit http://historyforkids.utah.gov/jump_in/WWIIstories.html for some interesting examples of fifth graders’ interviews with World War II veterans.  

SET AN EXAMPLE. Kids watch what we do, and our actions tell them what we value. “We display a flag, we turn on the T.V. for inaugural events, and we watch State of the Union addresses and presidential funerals.  We also write letters to enlisted men and women,” says Hall.  One of the most important things we can give our children is to pass on our own love for America. “Nothing can replace the pride and tears they see in your eyes at certain times that are significant to our country.” Erickson and her husband set an example for their boys “by singing the national anthem at ball games and placing our hands over our hearts,” she says. In the end, it’s not enough to just talk about America and what it means to us on the 4^th of July, she explains. It’s something we can share with our children all year long.

Julia Keller is a freelance writer who covers parenting issues and family activities. She is the mother of a 10-year-old son.