7
SIMPLE WAYS KIDS CAN
THANK A VETERAN ON
VETERANS DAY
By Lauren Tamm
A
re you wanting to thank a veteran but don’t
know where to start? It’s easy to see that after
decades of war, many Americans want to
thank and appreciate veterans for their service, but
they aren’t exactly sure how to do that. I get it. It can
feel overwhelming, especially for kids to think about
that kind of stuff. But I have to share, thanking a
veteran comes in all shapes and sizes. Often times,
it’s the simplest gestures of kindness and gratitude,
which help a veteran feel appreciated.
For many Americans, Veterans Day often is an
extra day off school for the kids or a long weekend
enjoyed in November, but the meaning of this
holiday runs much deeper. Veterans Day used to be
called Armistice Day because that was the month,
day and hour (November 11, 1918 at 11:00 am) that
World War I ended. It was supposed to be the “war
to end all wars.” Sadly, we know it wasn’t the last
one.
On Veterans Day, we have a unique and special
opportunity to celebrate the service of all U.S.
military veterans and the selfless sacrifices they’ve
made to keep our country safe. This November
11 th , I’d like to challenge all families–parents and
10 | S T. J O H N S parent M A G A Z I N E
kids alike–to take a small part of your day to serve
veterans in their community through a simple
gesture.
So if you’d like to thank a veteran this Veterans Day,
but feel unsure about where to begin, consider these
simple kid-friendly acts of kindness: