Here's a suggestion. This July 4th and every July 4th, read the Declaration of Independence to your children. Even for infants, the words have a meaning; the document almost sounds poetic when read aloud. And, this is, of course, the document that creates our freedom. For the many years our now adult son lived at home, I read this document to him --- from start to finish -- on July 4th. (We read the I Have A Dream speech too on Martin Luther King Day). I hope and think it helped him become the person that he is -- filled with a desire to help those in need and preserve what is valuable in and to our nation. Create a new tradition then in your own family -- whether you are a new parent or a parent of older children: Read one of our nation's founding documents and be proud of the message it sends. And, if your children are grown, just re-read the document for your own sake. In these troubling times, it messages positively and powerfully. …see more