Since the end of World War I (WWI) in 1918,Canadians, and millions of others around the world have paused at the 11thhour of the 11thday of the 11thmonth to honour the sacrifices our soldiers have made in different wars, fighting for the freedoms that we all enjoy today. Known as Remembrance Day, the day originated as a tribute to the soldiers of WWI, a dark period for our young country, which claimed the lives of over 60,000 military personnel and civilians and over 16 million dead worldwide. As there are no more surviving soldiers of WWI,today we rely on the wisdom and words of those soldiers who fought in the wars that followed,and this day now also recognizes their heroic contribution. They tell us to always remember what those brave souls fought for, and all they ask in return is that we never forget. That's why we wear the red poppy  ;that's why when we see a soldier in uniform we should stop him or her and say "Thank you" ; that's why we take a pause from our busy lives for two short minutes today to honor that request. Yet this message is fading away, year after year. Take for example the terrible decision to allow parents to excuse students from Remembrance Day ceremonies at school. Not only is this disrespectful, it distances the student from his or her classmates. It is difficult to understand why any Canadian parent would want to remove their child from the time-honored tradition of reading the poem In Flanders Fields, while a wreath of poppies is laid. It is more important than ever to teach school-aged children about our history,no matter how violent it was. Sheltering them from the realities of war is a great disservice. Understanding why conflicts happened, or happen today, can help shape choices and decisions they make as adults. Of course, because we live in a free society, we cannot force an individual to do something. _ is unfortunate, but some parents now have their child "opt-out" of the services. These people should be reminded they are free to make such choices only because of the men and women the rest of us are remembering. What can we learn from the passage?
War history is too violent for school children. The writer was once a soldier in the Canadian army. Few students are willing to take part in Remembrance Day ceremonies. More parents are keeping their children away from frightening war stories.