How about exercising the mind—-not with mindless games but with good reading. Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World by Mark Kurlanski tells a view of history not often glimpsed in school. Bill Bryson’s I’m a Stranger Here Myself or Notes from a Small Island help with understanding our heritage as do Gordon Wood’s The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin and Lies My Teacher Told Me by James Loewen. You might think Loewen’s book will promote disrespect but the increase in school attention span is worth the price.

If you think your teen or preteen would never read one of these books, all of them are available on CD and make great companions if you have a player in the car—much better than a violent video game.

We are a fortunate country that enjoys a heavenly standard of living as well as rights, privileges, and liberties not allowed in many countries that are often critical of us. Our children need to hear the appreciation and recognition of the gifts of living in the U.S.A. Yet when I asked a 12-year-old friend what his Thanksgiving had been about, he said, “Dad’s football team lost.”

Whether you are Jewish, Christian, Muslim or none of the above, your children could benefit from a reminder of the freedoms they have inherited.

I'm not thinking of only the material items and safety so obviously missing in many countries including the ones we have invaded. I have in mind the constitutional principles and the guarantees of freedoms our citizens enjoy. These are always at risk and in need of thanksgiving.

People who support jailing others without charges believe security comes before everything. Once you believe that, the terrorists are winning.

The threats to our precious rights usually come from within. Hitler did not invade Germany; he was elected to office. The security issue then was based on prejudices against some of Germany's own people. Once ignorance and literary restrictions were given top priority in the name of security, he could justify all those special prisons we have heard about.

Family dinners are good times for discussions with your children. Do more listening than telling. They learn most principles just by struggling with putting them in their own words. Turn off anything that plugs in or requires batteries. Computers and televisions are not good dinner companions or sources of serious thought.