Memorial Day
When is my next science class?
It's normally on Mondays but there's no school this coming Monday, so it will be the week after that.
Why is there no school on Monday?
Well, it's a holiday.
What holiday is it?
It's a holiday called Memorial Day.
What's Memorial Day?
Well… do you know what a soldier is?
No.
Do you know what a war is? What wars are?
No.
You know what fighting is, right?
Yes. Fighting is when… it's a bad thing when people are mad at each other. I had a fight with my friend yesterday because she didn't want to do the same thing I wanted to do.
Well, there's all sorts of different fighting. You didn't try to hurt each other, I hope?
Oh, no, it was like an argument.
Right, okay. Well, some fighting is worse than that kind of fighting. Sometimes a lot of people are mad enough at each other that they all start fighting, thousands and thousands of people fighting, and actually trying to hurt each other. And that's a war.
That's a war?
Right. And the people who are fighting in the war are usually called soldiers.
Soldiers?
Right. Thousands and thousands of soldiers fighting in the war. But it's bad enough fighting that they not only get hurt, but some of them die. Because it's very dangerous fighting, with bombs and explosions and guns.
And swords?
Sure, a lot of wars have been fought with swords.
And they all die?
Oh, no, not all of them die. But some do. And Memorial Day is a day when we think about all those soldiers who have died fighting in wars. Because they were very brave.
Do people have to fight in wars?
Well, sometimes there are very important problems that can only be decided by people fighting. Sometimes some things matter that much.
I hope Allie doesn't have to fight in a war. She is too young. And I would not be brave. I hope we never have a war here.
That's what I hope, too, sweetie.
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For consideration: the conversations we get into with our toddlers
It's normally on Mondays but there's no school this coming Monday, so it will be the week after that.
Why is there no school on Monday?
Well, it's a holiday.
What holiday is it?
It's a holiday called Memorial Day.
What's Memorial Day?
Well… do you know what a soldier is?
No.
Do you know what a war is? What wars are?
No.
You know what fighting is, right?
Yes. Fighting is when… it's a bad thing when people are mad at each other. I had a fight with my friend yesterday because she didn't want to do the same thing I wanted to do.
Well, there's all sorts of different fighting. You didn't try to hurt each other, I hope?
Oh, no, it was like an argument.
Right, okay. Well, some fighting is worse than that kind of fighting. Sometimes a lot of people are mad enough at each other that they all start fighting, thousands and thousands of people fighting, and actually trying to hurt each other. And that's a war.
That's a war?
Right. And the people who are fighting in the war are usually called soldiers.
Soldiers?
Right. Thousands and thousands of soldiers fighting in the war. But it's bad enough fighting that they not only get hurt, but some of them die. Because it's very dangerous fighting, with bombs and explosions and guns.
And swords?
Sure, a lot of wars have been fought with swords.
And they all die?
Oh, no, not all of them die. But some do. And Memorial Day is a day when we think about all those soldiers who have died fighting in wars. Because they were very brave.
Do people have to fight in wars?
Well, sometimes there are very important problems that can only be decided by people fighting. Sometimes some things matter that much.
I hope Allie doesn't have to fight in a war. She is too young. And I would not be brave. I hope we never have a war here.
That's what I hope, too, sweetie.
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For consideration: the conversations we get into with our toddlers