4 reasons why we need to raise our kids to love America

It’s never been more popular to beat up on America. Almost daily, there seem to be news stories highlighting our lack of patriotism. Last week, a Gallup Poll revealed that fewer Americans than ever are “very proud” to be American. This week, pop superstar Ariana Grande was shown in a viral video where she said, “I hate America. I hate Americans.”

I almost never write about issues of politics or patriotism, because I believe that God created the family (not the government) to be the foundation of society. With that being said, I do firmly believe that patriotism should have a healthy place in our families, and I’m concerned that our appreciation for our nation seems to be at an all-time low. This trend could have negative longterm impacts on our families, our nation and even the world for reasons I’ll share below.

As an American, I want to raise my kids to love America. This isn’t at all about a sense of elitism or entitlement. It’s about an appreciate for the freedoms we have and for those who gave their lives to protect those freedoms. It’s also about a sense of responsibility to make our nation even better for future generations.

4 reasons we need to raise our kids to love America:

1. Those who love America will work to solve our nation’s problems more than those who hate America.

There are certainly some major problems in our society, but I believe those problems can be fixed best by those who love our nation in the same way that I’m qualified to solve problems in my own family precisely because I have so much love for the members of my family. The best solutions come from those who love; not from those who hate. I want my kids to love America enough to give their time and talents to bringing longterm solutions to help future generations of Americans and the world.

2. The chance to live in America is considered “winning the lottery” in many other countries.

The United States government issues around 50,000 Green Cards annually in a diversity initiative. Millions of people from all over the world apply for these 50,000 spots annually in what is globally known as the “Immigration Lottery” and those who “win” celebrate as if they’d won millions of dollars. The daily freedoms and opportunities we take for granted here represent the greatest hopes and dreams of many of our brothers and sisters around the world. We need to teach our kids to appreciate the amazing freedoms they’ve been given and use those freedoms for good in their nation and the world.

3. Many have died to secure the freedoms we enjoy here.

In a generation of entitlement, we so easily forget that most of us have done nothing to “earn” the freedoms we enjoy. Those freedoms were bought with the blood of many brave men and women who defended our freedoms from tyrants and terrorists. We honor their sacrifice when we choose to love our nation.

4. The world is safer when America is strong.

This statement may cause debate, but I firmly believe this is true. America is the first nation in the world’s history who has had the power to take over other nations, but has used that power primarily to help other nations instead. We’ve obviously made some massive mistakes in our history, but no nation in history has given more aid to other nations.

This sentiment is beautifully summed up in a poignant quote from Gen. Colin Powell…“And when all those conflicts were over, what did we do? Did we stay and conquer? Did we say, “Okay, we defeated Germany. Now Germany belongs to us? We defeated Japan, so Japan belongs to us”? No. What did we do? We built them up. We gave them democratic systems which they have embraced totally to their soul. And did we ask for any land? No, the only land we ever asked for was enough land to bury our dead. And that is the kind of nation we are.”

If you’re a fellow American, please join me in raising the next generation to have a respect, a love and a lifelong appreciation for our nation. If you live elsewhere, I’d encourage you to raise your children with a sense of patriotism for your own homeland. Our societies will be changed by citizens who love and respect much more than by those who burn flags.

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