A CafeMom in uniform. Photo by mygirls9901

Originally called Armistice Day, November 11 was a day initially set aside to honor the end of World War I and its many veterans. After several more US wars, the holiday was expanded to include all vets of all wars and the name was officially changed to Veterans Day (not to be confused with Memorial Day, a day of honoring fallen soldiers).

Military.com has a cool list of 7 things to do today with your kids to honor the millions of veterans who have served this country. I say pick just one or two--and make a day of it. No sense in spending a precious day off from school in front of the television!

  • Teach your children about the history of Veterans Day by having them create a time line of events leading to the observance of the holiday.
  • Have your kids write short articles or essays of how veterans are honored around the world. And if you know any veterans locally, propose that your kids interview them about what it's like to serve in the U.S. military.
  • Research how American veterans were treated after they returned from various military conflicts, ranging from the French and Indian War to the Persian Gulf War. Ask your children to compare and contrast their findings. Also compare and contrast how women and minorities who served in those conflicts were treated.
  • Have children draw a picture of Veterans Day, and what this holiday means to them. Military children can draw a picture of a parent who is currently deployed, or a relative who has served.
  • Make a thank you card for veterans. Children can give this card to veterans that they know or to veterans who are listed through the local VA medical facility.
  • Ask your children's teacher to invite veterans to their classroom. Veterans can discuss what it's like to serve in the military, and how important it is to observe this holiday.
  • Have your kids make a colorful and fun poster with the names and pictures of relatives who are veterans.

We're showing love to veterans all over CafeMom today! Check out: Cafe Kim's Food&PartyBuzz,Cafe Sheri's Home&GardenBuzz, and Cafe Suzanne's BabyBuzz.