Independence

Have you ever wanted to tie your own shoes with the loopy, swoopy laces. Or pour your own juice into a big, tall cup. When you do it, all by yourself, a happy feeling fills you up like a warm, sunny balloon. It feels so good to say, “I did it.”. That happy, proud feeling is me. Hello. I am Independence. I am the feeling of being big and strong and doing things all on your own. It is a wonderful, sparkly feeling, isn't it.

A long, long time ago, a whole country felt that way too. The people in America wanted to choose their own rules, just like you like to choose your own pajamas. They wanted to be on their own and make their own big choices. So, they wrote a very special letter. It was called the Declaration of Independence. On a sunny day, July 4th, 1776, they shared the letter with everyone. The letter said, “We are ready to be on our own.”. It was like the whole country shouted, “We did it.”. And that is why every year, you see bright, colorful fireworks light up the night sky with big, happy bangs. We celebrate with happy parades and yummy food because a whole country found me.

You can find me every single day. You find me when you learn to ride your bike, whoosh, down the sidewalk. You find me when you help pack your own lunch with a yummy apple. When you build a tall, tall tower with your blocks, all by yourself, that's me too. I help you grow brave and strong. Trying new things on your own is a wonderful way to grow, and I am always there to cheer for you when you say, “I did it.”.