With the three-day weekend ahead of us, I asked the kids during breakfast\u00a0if\u00a0they were doing anything at school for MLK day.<\/p>\n
“I don’t think so,” my youngest said. He’s in fifth grade now. “At least they haven’t said anything.”<\/p>\n
“Not at my school either,” his brother agreed. “Pretty much everyone knows about Martin Luther anyway.”<\/p>\n
“Well, I hope they do something,” I said. “If nothing else, you should hear some of his speeches. Everyone should.”<\/p>\n
“You mean the I Had a Dream Speech,” my oldest said.<\/p>\n
“I Have a Dream,” I corrected. “Not Had, Have.\u00a0‘I have a dream’ means he still has it, that the dream is still possible. ‘Had’ would mean the dream is over.”<\/p>\n
“That’s what I meant.”<\/p>\n
“Anyway,” I said. “It’s a phenomenal speech. You should. . . wait a minute.” I took my phone out of my pocket,\u00a0did a quick Google, then pulled up\u00a0a YouTube video.<\/p>\n
The kids crowded around me, and we watched as Martin Luther King started to deliver his speech.<\/p>\n
“The bank of justice?” my youngest son said.<\/p>\n
“Metaphors for the win,” I said.<\/p>\n
“Shh!” his older brother\u00a0hissed.<\/p>\n
The three of us\u00a0watched in silence for as long as we could, but had to break so we didn’t miss\u00a0the bus.<\/p>\n
I don’t know if this little interlude had any effect on the kids at all. I’m not going to claim there was any great educational benefit or life-altering inspiration.\u00a0I will say, though, that there was something special in that\u00a0moment.<\/p>\n
DaddyTales don’t often have suggestions or lessons, but this one does. If you have a chance this weekend, pick your favorite MLK speech and watch it\u00a0with your kids.<\/p>\n