My wife sometimes accuses me of being too friendly.  You see, I’m okay in a crowded coffee shop or elsewhere, asking if I could share the table with already seated customers. . . .while Angie would simply leave the shop because it was too busy.

I try not to be intrusive on other people because I have times I don’t want to be bothered as well.  However, I’m met some great friends and had great discussions with strangers who were willing to share their table with me.

John Adams

One of those times was at the Baltimore Convention Center during the 2022 National Funeral Directors Convention.  I randomly sat down with two Brits attending the convention, one of whom I learned was Great Britain’s President of their National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD), John Adams.

I learned that Adams works in a family-owned funeral home, Perry & Phillips, which you can read about here.  The business was founded in 1835.  In sitting down with Adams I learned a little of his background, including that his mother died when he was 12 years old.

That experience for him, as you can read about here, was a rallying cry for his term as President of NAFD.  Adams believed that a missing element for young people was the lack of learning about how death, dying, and bereavement can affect a child as he or she grows up.

During his preseidency and beyond, Adams pressed forward in his quest to have all children in Great Britain be taught about death,dying, grief, and bereavement.  He began a petition asking Parliament to look at that question as it continued to refine its public school requirements.  In addition, he met with King Charles to bring attention to the issue as you can read here.

There are now results —  Adams’ quest for children to learn that “Death is part of Life” has culminated with Adams being informed and Parliament now requiring that before a student finishes Primary School they must understand “That change and loss, including bereavement, can provoke a range of feelings, that grief is a natural response to bereavement, and that everyone grieves differently”.

Here are the new “General Requirements” for Primary School students in Great Britain to know in the “General Wellbeing category” effective September 1, 2026 (#8 is the new requirement that has been added):

Curriculum content:
1. The benefits of physical activity, time outdoors, and helping others for health,
wellbeing and happiness. Simple self-care techniques, including the importance of
rest, time spent with friends and family, as well as hobbies, interests and
community participation.
2. The importance of promoting general wellbeing and physical health.
3. The range and scale of emotions (e.g. happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise,
nervousness) that they might experience in different situations. Pupils should
understand that worrying and feeling down are normal, affect everyone at different
times, and are not in themselves a sign of a mental health condition.
4. How to recognise feelings and use varied vocabulary to talk about their own and
others’ feelings.
5. How to judge whether what they are feeling and how they are behaving is
appropriate and proportionate.
6. That isolation and loneliness can affect children, and the benefits of seeking
support.
7. That bullying (including cyberbullying) has a negative and often lasting impact on
mental wellbeing and how to seek help for themselves or others.
8. That change and loss, including bereavement, can provoke a range of feelings,
that grief is a natural response to bereavement, and that everyone grieves
differently.
9. Where and how to seek support (including recognising the triggers for seeking
support), including who in school they should speak to if they are worried about
their own or someone else’s mental wellbeing or ability to control their emotions
(including issues arising online).
10.That it is common to experience mental health problems, and early support can help.

Tom Anderson
Funeral Director Daily

Funeral Director Daily take:  From my perspective, making children aware of the consequences of grief and bereavement is extremely important in society.  According to this article and video report from ABC News 1 in 12 children (8.3%) in America will experience the death of a parent before they turn 18 years of age.

According to Micki Burns, the co-author of the report cited in the ABC feature, “Children who have lost a parent can feel isolated because it’s difficult for other kids to understand grief and loss. Recognizing that [losing a parent or sibling] is prevalent is important.  It’s something that we need to start to talk about more openly and more easily so that the children don’t feel so isolated.”

As she intimates, knowing about grief, loss, and bereavement is not only a good thing for those that lose loved ones, it is important for those who are friends of the bereaved so that they know about the emotions and feelings of one who has lost a parent.

The ABC article mentions that in America, the state of West Virginia has the highest percentage of “childhood grief” at 13.3% of all children in the state while the state of Minnesota has the lowest percentage of childhood grief.  The article postulates that poverty and resources availability may be one of the factors in the difference.

Finally, again from my point of view,  I think the more that we can teach the “soft sciences” such as grief and bereavement to our children the better society we will live in.  From my experience on the Board of Regents at the University of Minnesota I found no shortage of scholars among our youth — We are in good hands in that regard.  However, many of those same students would ask about classes that would help them navigate life as to finances, mental health, and good living practices.  I was always disappointed that I could not get the powers that be to offer more classes in those disciplines . . . . .so, I’m extremely appreciative that John Adams has!!!

More news from the world of Death Care:

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“A servant’s attitude guided by Christ leads to a significant life”

Look deep into the eyes of a Veteran today. It’s not hard to find one across the Brazos Valley. For those over 60 years old, chances are good that they are wearing a ball cap with their service insignia on the bill. Maybe they are wearing an old service jacket to stay warm in our newly cold air outside.

Maybe there’s a look on their face of solitude and solemnity this day that has them quieter than usual…reflecting on a time where they all committed the same first step. They had a desire to make a difference in the world around them. The

was established at the end of World War I and is celebrated every November 11

th

.

Military service during wartime is not a choice, but a necessity. Yet, in the past there was never a problem getting people to volunteer to enlist. In fact, many young men lied about their ages to actually gain entry into service rather than seek to find some convenient reason they could not serve their country. Many times those who might have a physical impediment that kept them from active military duty still found a way in other branches to be of service from the ground or behind a desk, all because they shared that same desire to serve.

In some families, military service is generational and it’s a natural expectation that sons and daughters will follow in their parents’ footsteps and enlist in a particular branch of service. For others who are the first in their families to enlist, the military is one of the best prospects to learn an important, relevant trade and to earn funds to continue education after military service is concluded. For other young people, service is the first choice for what to do after high school graduation. The prospect of leaving home for lands and towns unknown presents an attractive and exciting challenge on its own.

Military service means a keen sense of discipline is needed and expected. This new kind of lifestyle where one has little free choice and must follow the orders of those ranking above them is a great way to understand how business works, as many contemporary business organizations follow a top-down management and leadership style, where seniority and longevity mean ultimate promotion unless unusual circumstances enter.

The

into military service is simple, but profound:

This same simple oath is taken by all patriots who enter our armed forces. This oath is sincere and offered with no reservations and those who agree to it are expected to live up to it…defending our country against all enemies, being loyal to the United States above all other countries, and to support our country. In that oath, each service person is uniquely alike in their mission.

Especially as we are in a day and time where our friends and neighbors and allies are in the midst of war, some of which we are supporting with our personnel and funds, we remember the sacrifices that are being made in the name of military service to the United States of America. It is who we are and what we do as Americans and patriots.

This Veterans Day means something special to all who have served, and to their families, who with the service person support their choice for entering the service to our country. They are due our greatest thanks, our admiration, and our salutes when we remember their gifts to us in serving. When you see someone in a ball cap as a retired service person, or if you see someone in active duty uniform today, please take a moment to stop them and say, “Thank you for your service.” Without them, we would not be the great nation we are today. God bless all of you on this Veterans Day.

Look deep into the eyes of a Veteran today. It’s not hard to find one across the Brazos Valley. For those over 60 years old, chances are good that they are wearing a ball cap with their service insignia on the bill. Maybe they are wearing an old service jacket to stay warm in our newly cold air outside.

Maybe there’s a look on their face of solitude and solemnity this day that has them quieter than usual…reflecting on a time where they all committed the same first step. They had a desire to make a difference in the world around them. The first Veterans Day was established at the end of World War I and is celebrated every November 11^th.

Military service during wartime is not a choice, but a necessity. Yet, in the past there was never a problem getting people to volunteer to enlist. In fact, many young men lied about their ages to actually gain entry into service rather than seek to find some convenient reason they could not serve their country. Many times those who might have a physical impediment that kept them from active military duty still found a way in other branches to be of service from the ground or behind a desk, all because they shared that same desire to serve.

In some families, military service is generational and it’s a natural expectation that sons and daughters will follow in their parents’ footsteps and enlist in a particular branch of service. For others who are the first in their families to enlist, the military is one of the best prospects to learn an important, relevant trade and to earn funds to continue education after military service is concluded. For other young people, service is the first choice for what to do after high school graduation. The prospect of leaving home for lands and towns unknown presents an attractive and exciting challenge on its own.

Military service means a keen sense of discipline is needed and expected. This new kind of lifestyle where one has little free choice and must follow the orders of those ranking above them is a great way to understand how business works, as many contemporary business organizations follow a top-down management and leadership style, where seniority and longevity mean ultimate promotion unless unusual circumstances enter.

The oath of enlistment and oath for commissioned officers into military service is simple, but profound:

“I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

This same simple oath is taken by all patriots who enter our armed forces. This oath is sincere and offered with no reservations and those who agree to it are expected to live up to it…defending our country against all enemies, being loyal to the United States above all other countries, and to support our country. In that oath, each service person is uniquely alike in their mission.

Especially as we are in a day and time where our friends and neighbors and allies are in the midst of war, some of which we are supporting with our personnel and funds, we remember the sacrifices that are being made in the name of military service to the United States of America. It is who we are and what we do as Americans and patriots.

This Veterans Day means something special to all who have served, and to their families, who with the service person support their choice for entering the service to our country. They are due our greatest thanks, our admiration, and our salutes when we remember their gifts to us in serving. When you see someone in a ball cap as a retired service person, or if you see someone in active duty uniform today, please take a moment to stop them and say, “Thank you for your service.” Without them, we would not be the great nation we are today. God bless all of you on this Veterans Day.