What is a citizen? If you were born in the United States, you are a citizen. That means you are a member of our country. Sometimes people who are not born here want to become citizens. They do this by asking the government to make them a citizen. This is called naturalization.
When you are a citizen you have rights. Rights are special privileges the government gives you. In our country, you have free speech. You are also given the right to choose a religion. In America, the press is free to tell you what is happening in the world. The Bill of Rights lists the freedoms given to citizens. These rights are very important. Many people in the world do not have freedoms like we do.
Because the government gives us rights, we have the duty to be good citizens. But, what does it mean to be a good citizen? How can you be a part of giving back for the freedom you have?
The Mark of a Good Citizen
Good citizens understand that they have a responsibility to the community, environment and law. You can instill in your child the virtue of citizenship by explaining the difference between good and bad citizenship.
Traits of good citizenship:
* Being a good neighbor by caring about others.
* Sharing your time and skills to the community to make it better, cleaner and safer.
* Conserving resources by practicing the three R's: Reduce. Re-use. Recycle.
* Staying informed on issues and voicing your opinions by voting.
Traits of bad citizenship:
* Looking out only for yourself.
* Littering and wasting resources.
* Leaving all political matters to the so-called "experts."
You can be a positive role-model for citizenship by doing the following:
* Show concern for the success and safety of others.
* Use non-judgmental language that does not offend or demean.
* Do the right thing, especially when it is difficult.
* Do the right thing, even when no one is looking.
* Take responsibility for your actions.
* Reflect on how your actions affect the welfare of others.
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