ATLANTA -- According to the Department of Defense, 1.7 million American children under 18 have a parent serving in the military and about 900,000 have seen one or both parents deployed multiple times.
In April, we observed the Month of the Military Child.
The Month of the Military Child served as a reminder of the importance of our relationships with our children, their sacrifices, and the contributions that they make every day to support the men and women who guard our nation's freedom.
With today's access to technology, our children are keenly aware of the issues that we face abroad.
They shoulder the burdens of the military lifestyle with resilience and patience.
They are an important part of the military Family and should be thanked. Here are a few tips to help celebrate and commemorate your children's success and contributions to the military Family - not just during the Month of the Military Child, but all year round.
Tell your children that you love them! Reassure your children that whether you are moving or deployed, their needs will be met.
Set aside some time to show that you are interested in their activities, dreams and goals.
You can do this by planning a surprise luncheon or visit to their school. Consider rewarding them for an act of kindness or an achievement.
Show your appreciation for them by cooking their favorite meal or playing a Family game.
In keeping with our tradition of voluntary service, consider volunteering with your children in your community.
Take a few moments to share kind words and reaffirm your commitment to each other. Most importantly, spend some quality time with them away from work. PCS season is upon us.
The average military Family will move at least five times in a servicemember's career. While these moves may seem exciting, for many children they can be both exciting and a little scary.
The thought of leaving friends, moving to a new school, and making new friends may seem overwhelming.
Including children in the planning of a move may ease some of their anxiety. Early on, share information about new duty assignments with your children.
Encourage them to visit Web sites containing information on the new duty location so they have an idea of the areas cultural and leisure activities.
Focusing on activities that your children enjoy will give them something positive to look forward to.
Parents should also share welcome packet information with children.
Including children in anticipating a new duty station, planning a move, and even packing, will help ease their minds and make them feel like they are a part of the decision making process.
As you settle in to your new duty station, be sure and visit your local Family Morale, Welfare and Recreation office.
The FMWR office offers up-to-date information on local Family attractions, usually at a significant discount.
Visiting area attractions allows you and your Family to learn about the area and experience the culture. Also, consider visiting the Child and Youth Service office.
There you will learn about childcare and after school sporting associations. Sports offer children an opportunity to release energy and stress, have fun in their new location, and meet new friends.
Perhaps most importantly, the time you invest exploring your new duty location with your children will build family bonds to last a lifetime.
As military Families, our time together is often limited by moves, schools, and deployments.
Seize every opportunity to offer your children praise, recognition, and kind words!
Social Sharing