To Be an AmericanWritten by Ellen M. DuBois
When I was a little girl, we stood in class with our hands held over our hearts and said Pledge of Allegiance. I never thought much about it as it was part of a daily 'routine'. I don't even think I comprehended what it meant. Patriotism, until September 11, 2001, was just a word to me. I knew I loved my country and was thankful to live here, but being an American didn't evoke feelings within me that it does today. Today, I think I know for first time what it feels like to be an American. And I'm proud. I am proud to be an American when I see such bravery in face of incomprehensible disaster. I am proud to be an American when I witness strangers holding their hands out to one another and offering their hearts. I am proud to be an American when I see American flag everywhere and I think to myself, "That's my country -- our country." And, I am proud to be an American when I see masses of people reach out to God together in prayer. Prayer for those who have lost. Prayer for those who are assisting and breaking their backs to do whatever they can to help. Prayer for our military as they defend this great country of ours. I can honestly say that it took this terrible disaster to make me realize, truly realize how very blessed we all are to be living in this country. It also made me feel much more connected as a nation and as a planet. I am not wishing that this tragedy ever happened, so please don't misunderstand. But, I was literally jolted from life as I knew it and suddenly realized what was at stake and what we lost. It made me value United States of America more than I ever have in my life.
| | Signing With Your Baby: Opportunities for SigningWritten by Monica Beyer
Once you've been signing with your baby for several weeks or months and your baby has mastered basic signs that cover his or her needs (such as milk, more, eat, drink, etc.), you will probably want to expand his or her signing vocabulary (as well as your own).The world around you and your child award you with countless opportunities to do just this. You can teach your baby a sign that has significance to almost any situation you may find yourselves in. Family members are a great way to start expanding your child's vocabulary. Starting with "mother" and "father" plus any siblings is a good way to begin, and you can create name signs for family members. One good suggestion I've heard from parents is to use first letter of person's name in a way that reminds you of that person. Say Aunt Samantha is a nurse - you could use letter "s" on wrist to combine first letter of her name with her occupation. Holidays and events are also interesting ways to spice up signing activities. Think of objects you baby may see around your house that he or she may not be too sure of. For example, during Christmas, Corbin learned signs for "Santa," "tree," "lights," and "party." It's also a good way to introduce your child to your culture and/or religion.
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