This year, Nick News, an 18 year old news show dedicated to bringing kids honest information about today’s most pressing issues, is celebrating the Fourth of July weekend in a truly unique way. Coming Home: When Parents Return From War, which premieres Sunday, July 6 at 9 pm Eastern time on Nickelodeon, is a tribute not just to the men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan (20,000 of whom will be home by the end of July), but to their children, who also exhibit strength and courage every day. The special highlights the stories of a number of kids who have parents at war. Many, like Michael, whose stepfather fought in Iraq, take on additional responsibility while their parents are away, helping to care for younger siblings or take care of the house. Other kids talk about their concerns when their parents come home, often worrying that they will be different, angrier or more distant. Coming Home, true to the reputation of Nick News, is straightforward and informative, but compassionate as well. It covers stories of parents who came home and found themselves unable to connect with their families, parents who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, parents who were wounded in war, and even one pair of siblings, Brenna and Michael, whose father died in Iraq. Interviews with the kids themselves and, in some cases, the parents, make each family’s story real to the viewer. Ultimately, this is not just a tribute or a show of gratitude; the message it sends is one of perseverance and strength. As the father of Kelli and Ethan, who lost his leg at war, said, “a hard day doesn’t mean it’s the last day.” These stories then, will certainly provide a sense of solidarity for those who have been through what these families have been through, but they will also provide inspiration to us all.

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