Remembrance Day

Today is such an important day as we remember those Soldiers who died or suffered for Australia's cause in all wars and armed conflicts. It is a subject close to my heart as my younger brother, Sam, is a former Australian Soldier and my older brother, Ben, will soon become one. I am so very proud of Sophie today as she went off to Kindy with her poppy badge pinned to her shirt, but as you can imagine, it has been a difficult concept to explain to a 4 year old...

We purchased the poppy badges at the shop, where I began to explain to Sophie what they were. She nodded away in apparent understanding but when we got in the car to come home, she asked “Are we taking Poppy’s badges to his house now?” (Best go back to square one and begin explaining things to Soph again).

Throughout the week I was further explaining to Sophie that the poppy (of the flower variety, not her grandfather) represents Australian Soldiers who have died at War. She began putting the pieces together that her Uncle Sam was a Soldier and she became quite concerned. In a sincere and worried voice, she asked “Is Uncle Sam going to die?” (Not quite there in understanding what Remembrance Day is about, a little more work needed).

Mat was outside spraying ants last night when Soph questioned him as to what he was doing. “Spraying the ants so they die and stay out of Mummy’s kitchen” he said. Sophie comes in to report to me that “Daddy is spraying the ants so they have to die, like the Soldiers”. (Getting warmer in understanding that Soldiers died, but not quite there with regards to why they died).

At Sophie’s request, we were again discussing Remembrance Day and why the Soldiers who went to War died fighting for our Country. She proudly tells me that she will wear her poppy badge to Kindy “for the Soldiers who died going to the wall”...

I think that is as close as we will get for now in helping Sophie understand what Remembrance Day is all about. This is going to be an ongoing lesson for her and I will ensure that remembering our Soldiers is an integral part of both hers and Elliott's lives. I sincerely hope you are all doing the same with your children. Lest We Forget.

I'm so proud: My brother, Sam, in East Timor about to go up in the Black Hawk.