This Friday marks 8 years since September 11, 2001, the day the World Trade Center fell as part of a terrorist attack on the US.  As each year goes by, I always go back to that morning, remember my walk to work in NYC and remember how the events of the morning unfolded.  It's one of those events that you will always remember exactly where you were and who you were with, for the rest of your life.  As I do each year, on Friday morning I will stop for a moment and think about all of the people who lost their lives and think about their families.  As New Yorkers, the anniversary of this day resonates so differently with us than it does with people in other parts of the world because such a major part of the attacks were here in our backyard, affecting our families, friends, neighbors and communities.  We couldn't let this week go by without a mention of this anniversary and without taking the opportunity to say to everyone who lost someone that day, to all of the children who lost parents, some that they will never know, our hearts continue to go out to you with love and sympathy.

For the first time this year, President Obama named 9/11 a National Day of Service and Remembrance, making this day a day to honor the victims of 9/11 and those responded to the attacks by voluntarily performing at least one good deed or another service activity on 9/11 each year.  Visit 911dayofservice.org to find volunteer opportunities, post good deeds and read the plans of others around the world.  For other volunteer opportunities, visit Families Giving Back and read about local non-profit organizations featured in our Non-Profit Spotlight. (Thanks to Christine at BostonMamas.com for the tip about our National Day of Service).

As they get older, all of our children will be asking questions about September 11, 2001. They'll learn about it in school and want to talk to us, their parents, who lived through the day. Here are some tips that were put together by the US Department of Education to help families discuss this topic with their children:

* Help children understand that although these were terrorist attacks, our country is extremely strong and full of people who have joined together to maintain our freedom;
* Understand that kids take cues on feelings from the adults closest to them. Create an environment for your kids that gives them a sense of safety;
* Explain to your children how you feel about the day. It's hard for them to see adults upset and not understand why;
* Listen and talk to your kids' questions about things they learn and pictures that they see;
* Try to discuss only facts with kids, avoiding any speculation or exaggeration;
* Help kids to understand that most people from other countries are good people who live in and love the United States as much as they do.

If you are interested in attending a local memorial service on Friday, scroll down to the events listed at the bottom of the newsletter and you'll be able to find information there.

Most of us celebrate Mothers Day and Fathers Day, but a National Grandparents Day?  Yes, it's true!  Each year since 1978 when the US Congress passed legislation, this special day to honor Grandparents is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day, falling on Sunday, September 13 this year. 

According to the National Grandparents Day website, this day is a family day when schools, churches, and senior organizations honor grandparents with special events. Families observe the day with small gatherings or huge family reunions where they have story-telling time where grandparents talk about their past and tell children about "the old days." Grandparents day is a time for families to discover their roots and promote communication between the different generations.

Here are some great suggestions for Grandparents Day activities:

• If you are an adult who still has living Grandparents, sit down with a video camera and ask your Grandparent to talk about their life.  For those of us with Grandparents who have lived through significant events such as the Holocaust or a World War, or who have come here from another country, these firsthand stories will someday be lost.  Taping your Grandparent tell these stories first hand is something that you can pass down from generation to generation, ensuring that the stories will not be lost.  If you are having your child do the interview, click here for some great interview questions.
  
• Grandparents can work with children and write names and dates on the back of old photos.
• Sit as a family and complete a family tree.  You can write it down or use a free online tool like Geni.com.
• Don't forget the elderly who are in nursing homes or hospitals and don't have family around them.  According to studies, approximately 60% of nursing home residents never have a visitor.  Call your local nursing home, hospital or senior organization and ask if it would be okay to pay a visit.  Have your child make a card or a craft to give to a special person in the nursing home.

You and your child can post what you're doing for Grandparents Day in Family Favorites or send us an e-mail at info@liparentsource.com.

Below is only a partial list of upcoming events and activities so be sure to click on our EVENT CALENDAR so you do not miss anything >>

Use the PARENT PLANNER to click on events and resources you are interested in and click PRINT MY PLANNER to print or email your list.

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