September 11

Parents,

On this day of remembrance of the September 11 attacks, please find some time to talk to your child about the significance of this date.

Put your child's age in the perspective of these events:
- Birth: Your child was born about three years after the attacks. The changes to airport clearance and processing among others are things they were accustomed to from the start. The rubble, debris, and damaged buildings of the Twin Towers were cleared about two years before they were born. The 9/11 Commission officially closes after commencing in 2002.
- Age 1: The War in Iraq began. The conflicts the U.S. has had in the Middle East (Iraq and Afghanistan) has been around just as long as they have been alive.
- Age 2: Construction of One World Trade Center started. United 93, the movie about the San Francisco-bound flight that was hijacked by terrorists then later crashed in a field due to passengers fighting back, opens in theaters nationwide.
- Age 4: Ground is broken for the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoneycreek Township, Pennsylvania. Pentagon Memorial is officially opened to the public.
- Age 7: The National September 11 Memorial (in New York City) was officially opened to the public. Osama bin Laden is slain during Operation Neptune Spear.
- Now: One World Trade Center nears completion and 2014 grand opening.

I do not intend to make any political statements. As a teacher of history/social sciences (and a history major), it is important to take into account what "history" really is and its impact on our lives.

As we continue to remember this solemn day, I hope we continue to understand its importance to our nation and its future.