Getting our kids to care about 9/11

From the fourth-floor window of Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, we could see the smoke billowing from the burning buildings in New York City — but we didn't totally understand at the time what we were looking at.

A recent poll found that 66% of New Yorkers say their lives were forever changed that day, including many Long Islanders. 

I was 16 on Sept. 11, 2001. It wasn't until I came home from school that afternoon that I saw the footage of the attacks on TV (This was, of course, before smartphones and social media.) And only then, watching the continuous news coverage with my family that night, did I start to grasp the magnitude of what happened that day.

Now, nearly 25 years later, those high school kids are raising families and trying our best to pass on the history and the lessons in the same manner that our parents and grandparents talked about JFK's assassination or Pearl Harbor. 

How do we get them to care? How do we explain it in a way that has an impact but also doesn't make them afraid to live their lives?

I go back to the famous "Mister Rogers" line: "Look for the helpers," and the story of FDNY firefighter Stephen Siller, of Rockville Centre. He'd already finished his shift that day, but turned around, strapped on 60 pounds of gear and ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel to the Twin Towers, where he lost his life while saving others.

I used to run in the Tunnel to Towers 5K held each September in his honor before I had kids. Maybe it's time to restart that tradition — with them.

We recently spoke to educators across Long Island to hear how they approach teaching about 9/11 to students who can no longer answer the question: "Where were you that day?"

For more of Newsday's coverage of the 25th anniversary, visit newsday.com/911-anniversary.

Take a hike

Now, that my kids' schools and extracurricular activities are back in session, finding time to take care of myself seems like a daily challenge, but I am trying to squeeze in some activity where I can, especially while the weather is nice. While my son was at hockey practice, I took advantage of the nearby walking paths inside Cantiague Park for the first time. There are plenty of places, some right under our noses and others worthy of a short drive, to enjoy the beautiful fall weather while closing your "Move" rings.

Newsday has a new guide to some of the top hiking trails on Long Island and identified which ones are best if you are looking for wildlife encounters or water views, off-the-beaten path vibes or kid-friendly treks.

Broadway BOGO deal

And if you have been putting off seeing a show in the city — perhaps waiting out the summer tourism crowds — September might be your month. NYC Broadway Week is back and from now until Sept. 20, you can get two tickets for the price of one at these 25 shows, including "Wicked," "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and "Stranger Things: The First Shadow." 

My almost 11-year-old has been asking to see that last one before it closes so I might have to snag the deal for his birthday this month.

More for moms

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