Back to School is a Rite of Passage

I am a bit late posting this so I hope you can still feel the celebration that comes with a new school year even though everyone is a couple of days into it by now.

We always hear how excited parents are to have their children back in school. There is a routine that is back in the family lifestyle. No more hearing “I am bored,” or “There is nothing to do,” or “Why can’t we do something fun for a change?” Some parents think, the children are back in school we should do something fun. And the children are thinking oh no school, too much homework, a mean teacher, a new school I won’t have any friends etc. What if instead of focusing on the negatives we focus on the positives?

We should be celebrating the chance for our children to grow in knowledge and experience. How can we do that? In Russia, the first day of school means a time to celebrate learning. The teachers receive flowers and in turn have bags of candy for the students. In India the students are wearing flowers. And in Israel honey cookies are made in the shape of the letters of the alphabet.

Do you have any special rituals to celebrate the return to school and the excitement of learning new things this year? What about having a special meal the night before school starts? You could serve alphabet themed items, such as alphabet soup. Do you make a day of back to school shopping and stopping to have a meal out with the children? You could make everyday things seem exciting, when you have that special meal the night before school starts use a table cloth and the good dishes. After the meal gather all of the new school supplies (already in backpacks) and then thank the Lord for the new year and as His blessing on everyone (teachers included).

July

This is the month that the citizens of the United State celebrate the birth of our country. Specifically we do this on July 4th. Is there something special that you do to celebrate the birth of our nation? Some of us will go on picnics, or maybe make homemade ice cream. Does anyone make a red, white and blue dessert? This is also a day that memories are created not only for our families and friends but for our country as well why else would we be celebrating if not to remember?

Fireworks are also part of this annual celebration. Does your family go and watch an area fireworks display or perhaps you have your own version of fireworks at your home? When the fireworks go off it like hearing thunder and creating a rainstorm of colorful and sparkling streaks in the sky. One of the reasons for fireworks is to chase away what is bad and welcome what is good into our lives. What bad needs to be chased away in our country? What good can be helped along? Are there ways we can make our land brighter?

As we celebrate on July 4th this year keep in mind that this wonderful country of ours was created by courageous men who were putting their lives and in most cases their fortunes on the line to defend what they stood for, that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” To these courageous men liberty was an outcome of human dignity and wanting to protect human dignity was the reason there was a war of independence. As we celebrate this day perhaps there is a way you can think of to promote human dignity and the right to pursue happiness and in doing that you would be making our land brighter.

Have a very safe and joyful 4th of July!