Fort Belvoir children in second through sixth grade learned how to deal with the stresses associated with being a military child Monday at the Markham School Age Center during the With You All the Way! Homecoming, Transition, and Resilience Symposium Series, produced by the Comfort Crew for Military Kids.
The symposium focused on unique challenges facing the children of the men and women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, such as multiple deployments and visible and invisible injuries.
The Comfort Crew, in partnership with the USO, has visited with over 100,000 elementary school students, who live both on and off base, around the world through the With You All the Way! USO Tour. This presentation, by award-winning children's author and TV personality Trevor Romain, emphasizes the importance of caring for one another and developing valuable strategies for dealing with the unique challenges of military life.
"I think the presentation went really well," said Romain. "Several children came up to me afterwards because they felt safe and comfortable to share everything they are going through. It was cool to have them come to me and let me know how they are feeling."
Two animated videos were shown during the presentation, the first emphasizing turning negative thoughts into positive thoughts, following one's instincts and using good judgment, trusting others and always being yourself.
The second video discussed preparing for a parent's deployment by the child letting his mom or dad know they are scared, planning a homecoming for when the parents returns and allowing time for the parent to adjust to being home.
Evan Marsh, 11, Woodlawn Elementary School student, who's mother is currently deployed liked the first video because it talked about trusting others.
"My mom is overseas right now," Marsh said. "So, I've learned to trust the military that she will come back."
Romain emphasized to the children, that while they have a parent deployed, to write their feelings in a journal instead of holding them in.
Marsh doesn't write in a journal, but does have a positive way to let out his feelings while his mom is away.
"I write letters to her," Marsh said. "I tell her what I did in school that day. I don't usually get replies until like three weeks after I've sent the letters, but I like that I can still let her know what I'm doing."
Several groups of children with deployed parents approached Romain after the presentation to let him know the feelings they are currently experiencing.
"I told the group of girls to imagine there is a bright light in their hand; close their hand and put it on their hearts and say 'I am a strong woman,'" said Romain. "I asked them, 'You are strong women aren't you?' They are strong, but sometimes they need a little encouragement to tap into that."
The groups of children coming to Romain for advice, and for Marsh to say he learned trust by watching one of the animated videos, is the reaction Romain seeks every time he speaks to a group of military children.
"I'm an American by choice, and this is a way for me to give back to our troops who are giving me the most beautiful place to live," said Romain. "Helping their children is a way for me to give back to them."
Social Sharing