ANZAC Day (Parenting Aus)
Over at Parenting Australia this week the topic is ANZAC Day, and as an Army kid this is a topic close to my heart. I’ve written a very personal account and would love you to jump over and read it. Here’s a snippet:
I stand tall on ANZAC Day. It’s a big deal in my family. Not only were two of my great grandfathers ANZACS themselves, but my own Father served in the Australian Defence Force for twenty years. I grew up as an Army kid, and proud of it. I remember climbing trees in the barracks while the dads all served the mums on Mother’s Day in the mess. I have fond memories of Santa visiting at Christmas time in a tank full of pressies for the kids. I remember feeling an immense sense of pride when I heard my father call his men to attention on the parade ground, and watching them respond to his commands with, well, military precision. Of course being an Army family also had its challenges… (click here to read more)
I’m interested in how other families approach ANZAC Day. What will you be doing for the long weekend? Will you go to a service with your family? Bake ANZAC bickies? Do you talk to your kids about the tragedy of war? Focus on heroes of the past? Or do you talk about your hopes for the future? You can comment here or at Parenting Australia.
I know you weren’t born at the time but don’t forget that your mother was also in the Army. I have some great pics of her at her marching out parade if you’d like to see them.
It’s a difficult thing to understand what peace means when we have lived with nothing but peace. To stand up for the weak,the oppressed, is an honourable thing in any language, and applies to school yard bullying as much as it does to wars between countries. To teach our children honour seems to me, a good solid thing to do as a parent. Anzac Day seems a good day to begin.
My husband is head of SOSE at a highschool, he puts weeks into preparing their ANZAC Day service every year. Last year they worked out that the density of people in the hall for the service was the same as the soldiers in the trenches at Gallipoli.
My parents have always taken us to the dawn service. I know several people who object to ANZAC Day because they think it glorifies war, but to me it’s the day that reminds us of the true horrors. Remembrance Day is special, but that’s celebrating a victory, a relief and an ending. ANZAC Day was the reality.
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