The Stars and Stripes: A Matter of Respect

Grandchildren study little about the goodness of America today. They are not necessarily taught to recognize or respect the Stars and Stripes as a symbol of liberty and freedom. Lost also is the appreciation of those lost defending freedom or those currently serving in the military.

Grandparents, the goodness of America can be made known and revealed. We can start with discussing the American flag. The flag’s purpose and what it stands for can be a perfect introduction to a conversation.

Grandparents are are terrific sources of historical information for our grandkids as we’ve seen the United States face great challenges over the years. We’ve lived through some good times and some not so good times, but the founding principles as stated in the Declaration of Independence still remain. Use the guidelines below to model and teach respect for our country to your grandchildren.

Guidelines for Respecting the U.S.A. and the Stars and Stripes
1. At the presentation of the flag, all in uniform (police, military, etc.) and past military perform a military salute.
2. All others stand at attention and place their right hand over their heart.
3. Always remove hats during the presentation of the flag.
4. The blue area with the stars always flies on top.
5. Don’t let the flag touch the ground.
6. Never carry it horizontally, always let it fly free.
7. When marching, never dip the flag to any person, flag, or vessel.
8. Never allow the flag to get dirty.
9. Lower the flag during storms.
10. No other flag should fly higher than the American flag.
11. Fly the American flag at half-staff for memorable occasions or special holidays.
12. Destroy a damaged flag by burning or taking it to an American Legion post to depose of it properly.

Facts About the Stars and Stripes

• The blue area has a star representing each state.
• There are 13 stripes representing the original colonies.
• The colors represent:
  White for purity and innocence
  Red for hardiness and valor
  Blue for vigilance, perseverance, and justice

U.S. History website (ushistory.org) has additional historical facts about Old Glory. The American Flag-Folding Ceremony: Script #4, is the Christian version of the ceremony. As stated on the website, “The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our country was originally founded.” You can access the U.S. History flag-folding page HERE (ushistory.org).

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD…
Psalm 33:12a

Guest blogger and coauthor of Faithful Grandparenting, Carol Olsen, is passionate about grandparents speaking into the lives of their grandchildren. Watch for more ideas from Carol!

If you haven’t purchased a copy of Faithful Grandparenting: Practical Ideas for Connecting the Generations, click HERE to order.

© 2023 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.

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Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash