Having someone we love in the military is tough, no matter who you are. But often times the ones who feel the burden the most are the children. Living in a family where one or both of the parents is serving in the armed forces causes unique stresses on a child. These children grow up faster, in a lot of ways, as they deal with the struggles of having a parent away at war.
Beyond that difficulty, they also face the challenges of frequent moves, as mom and dad serve. The average child of military parents will move six to nine times during his or her school years. That’s an average of three more times than their nonmilitary friends.
Military kids grow up knowing what it means to serve an idea greater than self. Although they are young, they stand with their parents, steadfastly supporting them through all the trials. Sometimes the knowledge of what their parents face can make it harder to connect with others their own age. In spite of the life of self-sacrifice their parents have chosen, they’re still kids at heart.
April has been set aside by the U.S. Department of Defense to focus on the struggles these kids face and the heroic ways they support the service of their parents. But there are things we can do too, to let them know we appreciate the fact that they too are serving.
1) Plan a special recognition event at your church or school.
It doesn’t have to be a big deal, often it’s just the acknowledgement of their challenges that helps the most.
2) Give them the gift of a special time with family.
Military family relationships are punctuated with separations long and short. For the times when they’re all together, help them celebrate with a special occasion. Provide a movie gift card or restaurant card. If that’s not possible, put together a creative basket with everything necessary for a family fun night.
3) If a parent is away, stand in.
It’s hard for suddenly single parents to be everything to every child. Offer to step in as a surrogate and attend a sports event, school concert or just spend the day with the kids doing what they love.
4) Arrange for time away at a summer camp especially for military kids.
Here’s link to a previous post I shared about all the resources available to make the dream of summer camp into a reality for these young heroes.
5) Reach out and give these kids the opportunity to share what they’re feeling.
Ask what’s going on, and be the listening ear that can help the process what they’re struggling with inside.
6) Help older kids find a job.
Many military families live in challenging financial situations. By providing the older kids with the opportunity to earn extra income, you’re helping to lighten the load, for them and for their parents.
No matter what, take time this month and reach out to a military child in your community. Thank them for their service and remind them that they, too, are heroes.
