Important Child Lesson: Love of Country and Patriotism

I don't have kids as of yet, but plan to and I hope the day comes very soon. A couple things I know that will be instilled into my children are love of country and patriotism. Those two things are probably two of the biggest lessons that I can teach my children, that will not only help them to understand the freedoms that they have available in this country, but also make them appreciate and be proud of the fact that they are an American citizen.

It didn't take long for me to appreciate the country in which I lived. As far back as I can remember I always had a very strong love of country and showed my patriotism in any way I knew how. I also would never hide my feelings and always stood up for what I believed in, especially if I felt that someone was disrespecting this country in any way. My Grandfather also served on a B-24 Liberator in WWII and that personal family history ignited my patriotism fire even more. I would not let all the things he put his life on the line for be denounced without a fight. After all that is what being an American is all about; being able to freely express your thoughts and opinions without fear of repercussion. Of course when I was growing up the country was much different. Ronald Reagan was President, the Cold War was in full force, and the country overall was very united in their beliefs. A lot has changed since then.

I personally believe that, not only teenagers today, but also plenty of adults as well, have lost touch with how this country came to be and the important beliefs and rights that we are entitled too every day. It seems many people in this country have adopted the "Blame America First" mentality rather than looking at what our role really is in this world. We are the protectors of freedom and the destroyers of tyranny. It seems that it isn't getting taught to our kids. In our schools the Pledge of Allegiance isn't practice anymore, and I have watched first hand as kids did not stand at attention and show respect for our National Anthem. These things, among many others, are directly attributing to how our kids view this country today.