FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska - The designation of April as the Month of the Military Child began in 1986 and has become a regular part of celebrating families on military installations ever since.
Fort Wainwright's Child, Youth and School Services takes the lead in the annual festivities here but for those who work daily with military children, April is just another time to celebrate the special children and families they serve.
Heather Bauer, CYSS program operations specialist, said CYSS leaders and staff know first-hand how important it is to care for and celebrate military children year-round.
"I think the parents who we support have the hardest job in the nation," Bauer said. "If our services can allow them to go and do that mission and sometimes go and do it 10,000 miles away and they don't have to think about, 'I hope that Johnnie's being taken care of well,' then we've done our job."
The Army Family Covenant, the Army's commitment to providing a quality of life commensurate with the sacrifices military families make, has had a dramatic affect on the care CYSS provides to Fort Wainwright families, said Tammy L. Ford, CYSS coordinator.
"I feel that we were very successful in delivering the Army Family Covenant initiative through CYSS," she said. "Throughout the recent (Stryker brigade) deployment, we saved patrons up to $600,000 through the Army Family Covenant."
This savings came from respite child care hours, free child care during family readiness group meetings and memorial services, free and discounted sports programs and other CYSS programming, and services of Military Family Life Consultants offered to children in CYSS programs.
"CYSS is always changing and adapting," Ford said. "Army Family Covenant initiatives have been revised. Some initiatives have been reduced while others have been increased. Patrons can see a list of the initiatives at any CYSS facility if they have questions."
CYSS care begins for military children as young as 6 weeks and according to Ford, includes much more than basic daycare.
"We also offer very successful sports programs," she said. The Start Smart sports program, facilitated by Youth Sports and Fitness, offers introductory programs to children 3 to 5 years old.
"It's a socializing, fundamentals program," Ford said. "We're getting that age group into a social environment along with very basic skill building and they love it."
Start Smart mirrors the regular CYSS sports season so parents with several children can take advantage of getting involved with the same sport at different, age-appropriate levels, Bauer said.
Another CYSS program reaching children in the 5 and under age range is the School of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills program. "That is where children and youth can come in and really apply themselves to an interest they have and can basically gain that knowledge and skill-build on whatever is in their interest," Ford said. "It can be horseback riding or dance. A lot of times there are art (programs). SKIES includes a wide variety of activities."
Tae kwon do is the most popular SKIES activity and while this program is fee-based, classes are provided free of charge through the Army Family Covenant to families who have a deployed Soldier, Bauer said.
Other programs for children 5 years old and younger are Parents as Teachers and Parent Central Services. Parents as Teachers offers in-home visits or office consultations with CYSS parent educators on topics from age-appropriate developmental issues to community resources. Parent Central Services, formerly known as Outreach Services, offers classes like Cuddle Cure, as well as child care for family readiness group meetings, Strong Bonds marriage retreats through the chapel, respite child care and parents' day out events, Bauer said.
For those who opt for a home-based setting for daycare, CYSS offers family child care in homes on and off post. Ford began her CYSS career as a FCC provider and said that the program is a very important part of CYSS.
Being an FCC provider "is an entry-level step to an absolutely wonderful career," she said. "It's a great option for parents, too. FCC doesn't always seem to get that recognition and they're an instrumental part of CYSS."
Bauer chose to place her child in FCC and said the quality of providers, in-home setting and extensive inspections, certifications and training of providers gives her peace of mind.
"The reason I chose it is because it allows my child to have a very small group setting," she explained. "He builds a strong bond with his FCC provider ... and even though you can get the same kind of care at the (Child Development Center) ... he gets that one- on- one bond that as a working parent I really want him to have."
CYSS continuously recruits for FCC providers and encourages parents to consider the in-home setting as a daycare option. "We have a real passion for FCC and look for every opportunity we can to put out info," Ford said. "It has led to a very rewarding career for me."
Child Development Centers are some of the most popular CYSS sites and provide full-day, part-day and hourly child care, as well as part-day preschool and even a kindergarten preparatory class, Strong Beginnings.
Designed to provide a bridge between preschool and kindergarten, Strong Beginnings moves 4-year-olds to a separate classroom, providing more structure, school-like settings and requirements and teachers with more specialized training.
"The programming has increased so that they learn to sit in a circle time longer," Bauer said. "They raise their hands ... and there are more long-term projects."
Betsy Sanborn, Child Development Center director, said Strong Beginnings is very important in preparing children for kindergarten.
"Our teachers meet with kindergarten teachers and ask 'What are your expectations' Where do you want these children to be when they get to your program,'" Sanborn said. Strong Beginnings teachers can then build on the routines and skills children have learned in preschool and transition them into kindergarten, she said.
The CDC is celebrating the Month of the Military Child with theme weeks emphasizing everything from Hawaii to the flag and Army-themed activities., The month-long festivities will end with a sidewalk parade April 30, Sanborn said.
"They have more challenges than other children, with parents deploying for such long periods of time," she said. "We try to do something fun every single day this month so they know how special they are."
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