| All week long there will be unique July 4th ideas right here.
This year, why not start a family tradition to honor your local
public servants, who embody the July value of ‘Courage’?
Most families have the annual cookie exchange at Christmas time,
but why not eliminate some of that cookie baking stress and enjoy
sharing treats during the “lazy days of summer.”
Token of Appreciation / Patriotic Appreciation –
Visit your local fire department, police department or any other
public service-based organization. Bring them cookies, lunch, or a
red, white and blue Fourth of July cake to let them know that you
appreciate their hard work.
Talk to your children about the service that these men and
women provide and how truly blessed we are to live in a
country where it is available.
Don’t forget to mention that they have to work on holidays when
the rest of us are having fun. Your children will learn a valuable
lesson and will enjoy visiting a different public service organization each year. A photo of your children standing with the policemen, or sitting in the fire truck will help keep this wonderful memory alive.
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I Love My Country Because –
Before you celebrate the Fourth of July,
sit down with your children and discuss the importance of freedom
and the truly amazing country we live in. Ask them to share why
they believe freedom is so important, and let them know your
feelings as well. Create a lasting family tradition, and save
their wonderful comments by writing them down
on stars cut out of red, white and blue construction paper.
The older ones can write on their own stars and even help cut them out. On the top of each star write, “I love my country because…” or
”I am proud to be an American because…” and then leave space for the
wonderfully spontaneous answers you will collect over the years. You can use these patriotic declarations to decorate the tablecloth at your Fourth of July barbecue or collage them into your Fourth of July Album with
your annual picnic photo.
Two years ago, it started pouring as soon as we arrived at the
high school stadium where the fireworks were going to be shot
off. Our family ended up sitting in our van waiting for the storm
to pass. We used the time by sharing examples of people who we each
viewed as courageous…one person still living and one person from history.
It was such a memorable evening and it made a lasting impact
in the hearts of our kids as we shared what true courage was all about.
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