The month of the military child is celebrated every April, and the entire month is dedicated to this special segment of society. Military life in general, can be both extremely rewarding, and a life that presents with challenges that are unique. The life of a military child is not always easy, but we choose to celebrate the adventures they’ve experienced while being a part of the service family.
Growing up with a family member in the service can teach a child so much about integrity, responsibility, and resilience. Often times, military families are required to move/PCS several times throughout their service years. This means having very little say on where you’re moving to, when you’re leaving and even how long you’ll be there. Kids learn at a young age to “go with the flow” and are able to use that attitude as they grow up. These youngsters grow up with lessons that others may not learn until well into life, giving them a skillset and mindset that can secure a strong foundation and give them a toolkit to succeed.
According to the MCEC Parent Support group, these skills include:
- Experience with change: military children understand that life is always changing and can change quickly
- Ability to blend in: living a highly mobile lifestyle, children learn to be flexible and adjust to new people and situations
- Adaptability: as difficult as moving can be, children quickly learn the nuances of their new surroundings and can adapt to fit in.
- Learn positive coping mechanisms: military children learn positive coping strategies through experiences, like transitions or deployments-not often experienced by their peers. Expanded worldview: opportunities to experience different languages and cultures Develop confidence: learning to navigate new situations and adjust to different surroundings and people helps to build confidence
- Dedication to service: they experience the commitment, strong values and sacrifice that is part of the military culture
But don’t be mistaken, military life is not all sunshine and butterflies. These children sometimes face the realities of life that the majority of their peers will not be exposed to until later in life, if ever. This creates the need for support for them and their families, which brings us back to why it’s to important to recognize their sacrifices, along side their military family member’s contributions.
Facts about Military Children
- Often show more resilience and resourcefulness throughout their life
- There are more military kids than military service members
- The average military child will move 3 times more than a civilian family with kids
- Military kids are twice as likely as their civilian friends to enlist in the military as an adult
About The Author:
Brittany has been a PCS Mentor with Milhousing Network for over 2 years, and loves being able to help other military families! Her husband is active duty in the Army, and their family recently purchased their first home in Maryland. Their first duty station was in San Antonio, and she loves the city!