Children in the United States go through many years of school reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, but does this encourage loyalty in their nation or fear it? The years I spent in school reciting the pledge did little to instill patriotism in me. I don't even remember the words. Having a more hands-on approach to community involvement would be a better way to teach children pride in their country. Encourage children to care about their school, their neighborhood, their city and their country, allowing them to be part of their community. It is the job of not only schools, but also parents to play a role in showing the next generation what true devotion to one's country is. True patriotism is the selfless giving of oneself, and simply reciting the pledge is woefully inadequate. The fact that school-age children, from the youngest to the oldest, are required to recite the pledge goes against the sense of individual liberty and freedom that is at the very heart of what our Republic stands for. James Perry, author of the essay titled “What I Expect My Son to Learn from Not Saying the Pledge of Allegiance,” states: “Reciting the Pledge of Allegiance does not support American ideals. Instead, it gives up our freedom, downplaying what the founding fathers fought for. “Children don't learn patriotism by being forced to recite a pledge every day, it just brings an element of fear due to peer pressure and the Big Brother element. Being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance does exactly the opposite of what it is supposed to do. Perry explains: “For a sovereign citizen to swear allegiance to the Republic is exactly the opposite. The Republic exists for us as individuals." It takes away their individual freedom......middle of paper......learn respect for that. Parents must also take a proactive approach to teaching the next generation true patriotism. For too long now, many parents have forgotten loyalty to their country and, in turn, let the recitation of the pledge be a sad substitute. Imagine if every child growing up in today's world just did a little community service and gave up on a Saturday. , how wonderful America could be. Teaching children to love their country means showing them what freedom and justice truly mean for all, for them as individuals and for America as a country. Teach them that true patriotism is the selfless sacrifices that ordinary people make every day. When patriotism becomes the daily recitation of the Promise, waving the flag and never looking beyond our own little piece of the world, we do harm to our country and the entire world. cause of true freedom and true peace in the world.