Teaching my children to Never Forget

As most of the adults in the US I will never forget how I found out about the tragedy in NYC, DC & Pennsylvania. I will always remember where I was and the horror I felt at the unfolding events.

Just like my Mom remembers where she was when she heard JFK was shot. She lived in Turkey at the time and she was walking home from school with her little brother through the trailer park and it came over the loud speakers that the President had been shot. She was 9 but she knew it was a sad thing and that it was a huge thing for all Americans everywhere. Obviously it's a story I heard many times growing up and it made the whole experience far more real.

Raising 3 children in post 9/11 USA I have tried to teach my children to never forget. We talk about what happened. Why it happened. And if it would ever happen again. Some parts of the tragedy I haven't gone into details about because I don't want them to be unnecessarily frightened but they know what went on and how I felt.

Every once in a while I reference my childhood or something I did pre 9/11 that is no longer relevant like waiting for a visitor at the airport. Jr. couldn't wrap her head around the idea that you'd go to an airport and sit and wait for someone inside. When these topics come up I try to explain the best I can that it's one of those things that changed that day.

Since my Spoiled Princesses are accostomed to new clothes for special occasions like Easter, Christmas and Birthdays, I try to make them something for Patriot Day as well. They know if I'm going to all this work it MUST be an important occasion.

Jr. designed her own dress. I found the hair design on the internet.


Fred's outfit was a compromise. It started out as a skirt but I didn't have quite enough fabric. Her red was a headband.

Fridays are always school spirit day (they wear purple/yellow/white or a school shirt) and the kids usually remember but it was awesome to see all the red, white and blue on the playground today while I waited for the bell to ring.

I hope I will be able to teach my children why September 11th 2001 changed their world in so many big and little ways. Why we need to honor the men and women who risk their lives everyday to serve our country and our cities. I hope someday 20 years from now they will be able to tell their children where I was when I heard about the tragedy and they will be able to pass on why We Will Never Forget.