The Next Greatest Generation

Last month we visited New Orleans. One of the highlights of the trip was touring the World War II Museum. The museum is huge and covers every aspect of the war and every branch of the military. My father fought in Italy and I felt such pride going through the European exhibits.

My father was a part of what journalist Tom Brokaw calls "The Greatest Generation". In his book of the same name, he describes Americans who grew up during the depression, fought in WWII and contributed to the most economically prosperous time in U.S. history. A common theme of this generation is self-sacrifice and honor.

The men and women of The Greatest Generation had core values. They exhibited respect, humility, a strong work ethic, responsible savings and loyalty. These are attributes my parents instilled in my brother and me.

We have the ability to inspire "The Next Greatest Generation". The values attributed to the original members can be taught to our children, grandchildren and students.

I wrote the "Don't Be That KID!" Series to assist adults to help children learn the skills they need to be successful adults. Each scene of the books depicts a core value like the ones above, as well as others, such as cooperation, respecting elders, kindness, honesty, and good sportsmanship.

Reading and discussing the scenes of "Don't Be That KID! At School," "Don't Be That KID! At Home" and doing the activities in the "Don't Be That KID! At School Resource Guide" provide a basis to define expectations and goals. Let's help our children learn the skills to become a generation to be proud of!