Remembrance day with kids

How do you talk about all the poppies on all the coats this time of year with your kids?

I know my oldest has been asking every year since she could talk why everyone wears the red flowers on their coat. Even this year, as an 8 year old she asks again, seeming to forget year after year (Here is a great craft to do with your kids while having a conversation about why November 11th is a day we recognize.).

Remembrance Day for me is all about my Grandfather and my great Uncle. My Grandfather passed away last year, he was a World War II vet, who fought mostly in Italy. As a kid he always teased us by speaking Italian, and I was always so curious as to why he knew this language, we have no Italian ancestry! He almost never spoke of the war, only speaking of his time on leave in England where he met my grandmother, and of course the little bit of Italian he learned and teased his grand kids with.

When I was fresh out of University and exploring Europe, I went to the Canadian War Memorial in France, and looked at all the names on the wall, looking for a name from my Family. I was surprised to find the name of my Grandfather, thinking it was quite the coincidence, but knowing it wasn't him, as this memorial is from World War I.

I met up with him soon after, and he explained that that was my great Uncle, and that he was named after him. This began an almost two decade long conversation between my grandfather and I about those years, he also started to finally tell his story, taping his story on cassettes.

He passed away last year at the age of 90, and we have his dress uniform jacket from the war, and I treasure it. I also am so grateful that he made those tapes. When I visit my parents, I see his medals that have been framed and hung up on the wall.

There are very few WWII vets left, but when I see them at the Remembrance Day ceremonies, I think of my grandfather. This is the story I tell my daughters, and I will have their great grandfathers first hand account of his experience of war.