Family Legacy Building

Family Legacy Building
Friday, July 10, 2026 by Dr. Mel Tavares

Categories: Friday's Fiction / GUEST AUTHORS

PLEASE WELCOME

DR. MEL TAVARES

FICTION FRIDAY

SPECIAL EDITION

THE AUTHOR’S STORY

My passion is helping families build legacies that will last. My four-book Family Legacy Builder series will release incrementally over the next year. When I wrote my latest book, Make Families Great Again, I prayed that it would help families understand today’s youth culture and what is actually happening at home, at school, on the internet, and in their minds. This book is filled with specific steps a parent or grandparent can take to overcome the challenges and raise children in homes where Biblical values and principles are taught in a manner that will counter the current culture.

Let’s look at three key components and which statements are fiction versus which are fact.

Fiction: Family traditions don’t really matter anymore.

Fact: In today’s fast-paced world, traditions may seem old-fashioned, but they remain one of the strongest ways families build connection. Whether it’s decorating the Christmas tree together, making homemade pizza every Friday night, taking an annual camping trip, or praying before bedtime, traditions create stability and belonging. Children thrive when they know what to expect, and those familiar moments often become the treasured memories they carry into adulthood and eventually pass on to their own families.

Fiction: Children don’t notice what adults do. They only listen to what adults say.

Fact: Children are remarkable observers. Long before they understand every lesson we teach, they watch how we live. They notice how we respond to disappointment, treat our neighbors, speak about others, manage conflict, and practice kindness. Our daily example often teaches far more than our words alone. If we hope to raise compassionate, honest, faith-filled adults, we must first model the qualities we hope to see reflected in their lives.

Fiction: Kids think grandparents are just “old people” and don’t enjoy spending time with them.

Fact: Nothing could be further from the truth. While children may not always express it, grandparents often become some of the most influential people in their lives. They offer something parents sometimes cannot—time, patience, family stories, and unconditional love. Years later, many adults remember baking cookies with Grandma, fishing with Grandpa, or hearing stories about the family’s history. Those ordinary moments become extraordinary memories that help shape identity and strengthen the bonds between generations.

The Sack Race
©Mel Tavares
*This fiction story is inspired by treasured traditions in my own family and in many ways depicts life in many families today. May you be inspired and encouraged as you read, and find hope as our generations take action to Make Families Great Again.

Every Fourth of July, our family gathers to celebrate faith, freedom, and family. This year felt especially meaningful as America celebrated its 250th birthday. Flags fluttered from the porch, burgers sizzled on the grill, and grandchildren darted across the backyard.

Yet something felt different.

The older grandchildren stood together, heads bent over glowing phone screens. Some laughed at reels while others snapped selfies, hoping to capture the perfect Independence Day post before the fireworks even began.

I slipped into the garage and smiled as I reached for six worn burlap sacks.

Every year, I wondered if this would be the year no one wanted to race.

“Who’s ready for the annual sack race?” I called.

Silence.

A few of the younger children looked up before returning to their games. My teenage grandson barely glanced away from his phone.

I laughed quietly.

“Well,” I said, “I suppose I’ll race myself.”

Just then, my youngest granddaughter came running.

“I’ll race with you, Grandma!”

My heart melted.

As we lined up, her older brother wandered over with a grin.

“I guess somebody has to beat Grandma.”

Another cousin grabbed a sack.

Then another.

Within minutes, the backyard echoed with laughter. Children bounced toward the finish line. Parents cheered. Someone fell. Someone insisted they had won anyway. Even the teenagers tucked their phones away and joined the fun.

After the races, we settled into lawn chairs beneath the shade trees.

Holding one of the faded burlap sacks, I smiled.

“This old sack carries a lot more than memories,” I began. “It carries a legacy.”

“My grandfather started this tradition in 1945, just after World War II ended. He wanted our family to remember how blessed we were to live in a free country and to thank God for both our freedom and our family.”

I paused for a moment.

“My dad, Jim, carried the tradition forward. In 1963, our hometown of St. Albans, Maine, celebrated its 150th anniversary. Traditions don’t survive by accident. They survive because someone decides they’re worth keeping.”

I looked around at my children and grandchildren.

“Dad has been gone since 2000, but every Fourth of July I am reminded of our deeply patriotic roots and the legacy and traditions our family built. That’s why I keep bringing these old burlap sacks out of the garage.”

I handed one to my oldest grandson.

“Someday, this won’t be my job anymore.”

He smiled as he took the worn sack.

“I’ll keep it going, Grandma.”

I looked around at the generations connected by one simple tradition and silently thanked God.

Some of the greatest inheritances we leave our families aren’t found in bank accounts or family heirlooms. They’re found in the moments we choose to preserve, the values we intentionally pass on, and the traditions that remind each generation who they are.

That’s how family legacies are built.

Author’s note

If you are interested in learning more about how to build your family legacy, how to make your family great, how to understand today’s youth culture, or just have general questions, I’d be happy to connect with you! The best way to reach me in through my website, where you’ll find resources, links for book purchases, and contact information. If you’d like me to keynote for your event or guest on a podcast or radio program, information is also on the website. DrMelTavares.com

ABOUT MAKING FAMILIES GREAT AGAIN

American families are in crisis, and Christian households are not exempt from the crisis. This book does a deep dive into research and gives 2025 data on what is happening in families, in schools, and on the Internet. There is a mental health crisis amongst today's youth, including those being raised in good homes and in church. Readers will find answers on how to respond to the challenges of today's youth culture. Numerous resources are listed, including podcasts, books, and websites.

Per Pam and Bill Farrel, directors of Love-Wise Ministries:

"Make Families Great Again" by Dr. Mel Tavares is a beautifully balanced blend of biblical wisdom, solid scientific research, and practical life application. With clarity and compassion, Dr. Tavares equips parents with thought-provoking insights that are both timeless and timely. This well-researched and refreshingly down-to-earth volume offers real solutions for today’s families. I highly recommend it to every parent seeking to build a strong, healthy home.”

Sandra Kay, Chambers, Founder of the Five-Minute Parenting Podcast, says:

"Dr. Tavares shares many statistics and real-life stories on the detrimental effects of our rat-race lifestyles, our declining public school education, internet influences, youth culture, etc. But she also offers parents hope despite these
obstacles by giving them ways to counteract the negative influences. As a parent, grandparent, and former teacher myself, I highly recommend this book as a resource and guide to help parents navigate today’s cultural challenges."

BUY LINK: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Families-Great-Again-Tavares/dp/B0F8W35WQK/

MORE ABOUT DR. MEL TAVARES

Dr. Mel Tavares is an award-winning author of books, articles, devotionals, and short stories. She is the Acquisitions and Managing Editor of Arise Daily, a digital daily devotional, and 2025 recipient of the Award of Excellence given by the Evangelical Press Association (EPA). Dr. Mel is also the recipient of the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) 2025 National Member of the Year award.

Mel holds a Doctor of Ministry and has 35 years of experience working with families in education, rehabilitation, and ministry. Mel is a frequent event speaker and media guest.

Her latest book release, ‘Make Families Great Again’, is being used as a tool to sound the trumpet across America, alerting parents and grandparents to the truths of today’s youth culture. The book was awarded first place at the 2026 Christian Indie Awards, held in Alabama.

Mel is aligning her messages with America's 250th birthday, and she welcomes opportunities to speak and help parents and grandparents decode today’s youth culture and develop action steps to protect their families.

She and her husband live in Middletown, Connecticut. They have seven adult children and eleven grandchildren.

Resources can be found on her website: https://www.drmeltavares.com/ or you can email her directly at drmeltavares@gmail.com

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