Sunday, November 11, 2012

Remembrance...

Growing up I didn't really get Remembrance Day. I knew it was a holiday. I knew I didn't have to go to school; I had to wear a poppy and so on. I don't blame my parents for not truly relaying to me the purpose behind Remembrance Day. I do sort of blame my schooling, as I have no impacting memories of a meaningful Remembrance Day service. But I think I just simply didn't get it. Sad.

The one thing I do remember about Remembrance Day is a local radio program would do a Remembrance Day program each year. The music was old; it was touching; it was, to me authentic. It really spoke to me. I truly believe that the majority of any understanding I had of Remembrance Day growing up came from one song in particular:



I still love that song.

Each year I share with my students (and my kids) various songs to help them understand what Remembrance Day is all about... just in case some of them need to hear it to really feel it.

Music speaks.

Here are some other videos / songs that speak to me & Remembrance Day. Lest We Forget.












I'm glad Remembrance Day is something we honour and embrace nowadays. May our children grow to love, learn and understand.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Labelling our kids...

I was just glancing through some pictures on Facebook, and I was aghast at the amount of brand name labelling I'm seeing on kids.

It makes me stop and wonder... what does this teach our kids? Is that name on that $50 tee necessary in order to validate your child's importance? Existence? I've heard that argument. I've heard mothers say, "They have to have the right brand name clothes in order to even be considered cool."

Really? Is that the kind of persona or image you want your children to live up to? Brand name = cool. No brand name = uncool?

Thankfully, my kid goes to a school where just about anything goes. Yes, some kids have a few brand name hoodies, or tees -- Hollister, Lulu Lemon, Aeropostale are the big ones -- but if a kid shows up in any old name jeans and a sweater, no one really cares. Mind you, there are some kids who ONLY wear brand name, but they're not seen in any different light. Sometimes they're even called out on "wasting their money".

I'd like to think that my kids will be wearing what's comfortable, what they like, what they think looks good in the years to come. I'd like to think they will learn the value of money, the idea behind a "name". I'd like to think they will befriend others based on much more than their outward appearance or the clothes they are (or aren't) wearing.

Am I crazy in these thoughts? Am I setting my kids up to be "uncool"?