When I was a child, I remember being proud to put my hand over my heart and say the pledge or sing the National Anthem. I was one of the kids that got to raise, lower, and fold the American flag outside our school. As I got older, I went through a stage where I was a little less proud and felt strange showing pride in my country this way.
Then, my grandparents came to live with us.
My Grandfather was a proud WWII Veteran, and would always rise to his feet, remove his hat, and salute the flag. He would proudly sing the song that stood for freedom and gladly stand to thank other service men and women for their sacrifice.
After seeing that, I was reminded how important it is to show how proud and thankful I am to be an American. I was raised with that pride, but not all kids are. Now, as an adult, I see so many kids that refuse to stand, don’t know the Pledge, and haven’t been taught to put their hand over their heart when they see the flag or sing the Anthem. They don’t know the importance, so they don’t do it.
We need to make it a priority to teach our kids what is means to be patriotic. We need to lead by example – thanking our brave men and women for fighting for our freedom. We need to stand up and place our hand proudly over our hearts and remember that we live in a land where we have rights – and that the flag stands for those rights and freedoms.
The only way our kids are going to understand what it means to be patriotic is if we first show them.
So the next time you see a veteran, walk over and shake their hand. Say thank you.
The next time you are at a ball game, stand up and proudly place your hand over your heart when you sing the national anthem.
The next time the flag passes by you in a parade, put your hand over your heart and stand still for just a moment.
Our kids are watching us – let’s show them what it means to be patriotic.