It can be difficult to teach little kids about gratitude. They are naturally wired to think “mine, mine, mine!” and accept as a given all the things they are given.
Community-service projects for older kids are abundant, but parents of little ones might have a harder time finding age-appropriate ways to show them the importance of a “thank you.”
Here’s our chance: the national Valentines for Vets program.
Men and women who have defended our country are stuck in hospital beds nationwide, and they each deserve an adorably lopsided construction-paper heart, don’t they? Have your children or your class make a few “sweet nothings” that will mean everything to a lonely veteran. Pocono-area parents can send them to:
Valentines for Vets
c/o VA Medical Center Voluntary Services
1111 East End Blvd.
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711-0026
You can find addresses for other VA medical centers here, and here is information about visiting and volunteering.
Here’s our chance, parents. Let us be grateful for it.
