Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

Julie

Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

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Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

Top Five Tips For Increasing Milk Production

This is a sponsored post by the Breastfeeding Shop. 

Breastfeeding was something I knew I always wanted to do with my babies. However, getting started with breastfeeding wasn’t easy for me, especially with my oldest son. I had a lot of concerns about if he was getting enough of my milk. If only I could go back in time, I would have made things a little easier for myself through the process.

There are things you can do as a new mom to help increase your milk supply. This helps the breastfeeding relationship as well as making sure your baby is getting all the nutrition they need.

1. Nurse your baby often

Make sure you are nursing your baby often. Breast milk is digested quickly and the more you nurse, the more milk you will make. Feeding on-demand vs a rigid schedule is the best way to go. That way you are meeting your baby’s needs as much as you can. If your baby is going through a growth spurt, they will want to nurse even more, and that is okay too.

2. Double check your latch

Sometimes our milk supply issues are due to a bad latch. When your baby is not latching on the breast correctly, they are not getting all of the milk that they should. If you have a question about your latch, you should go and see a lactation consultant. They will be able to check on your latch or help you with other breastfeeding questions.

3. Drink water, eat healthy foods

When you are nursing you want to make sure you are drinking enough water, as well as eating a healthy diet. Doing both of those things will help your milk production if you are struggling. Keep a water bottle within reach when you are nursing or pumping and try to have a lot of healthy snacks available for you as you go about your day.

4. Use your breast pump

Pumping in between feeding sessions can help with your milk supply. While you are pumping, you will be making more milk, and that will increase how much milk you should be making. Make sure that you have taken advantage of your TRICARE benefit regarding breast pumps. You are eligible for one breast pump for every birth event. Head over to The Breastfeeding Shop to find your breast pump and start the process. They make ordering your breast pump pretty easy too.

5. Get enough rest

While this is much easier said than done, especially with a newborn, make sure you are getting as much rest as you can. Say no to unnecessary commitments while you are trying to build up your milk supply. See if you can hire a babysitter for your older kids and if your spouse is home, make sure they are helping you with everything that needs to get done. Try to sleep when you can and take the time to rest as much as possible.

Interested in more information about your TRICARE benefit breast pump and The Breastfeeding Shop? Check out these blog posts too:

The Easy Way To Order Your No Cost Breast Pump

How to Decide What Breast Pump is The Best One For You And Your Baby

FAQs About Your TRICARE Benefit Breast Pump Through The Breastfeeding Shop

 

Why the Military Life Isn’t Like Any Other Life

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Why the Military Life Isn’t Like Any Other Life

The military life is a unique life. It just is. Saying it is “just like any other life” doesn’t make any sense.

Why the Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish my husband hadn’t missed my son’s birth and pretty much his entire first year. Most parents don’t have to do that, and the thought of doing so would be unbelievable. But missing a whole year of a child’s life is not uncommon in the military world.

I wish that none of my friends ever had to PCS. Saying goodbye to your good friends is the worst. While everyone does experience friends moving away, or even moving themselves, the military does so on a regular basis. This is one of the many things we experience as a military spouse.

The Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish my husband had been able to have been there during the difficult years of adapting to an autism diagnosis. That was such a difficult time for us. My son really did need two parents in the house but he only had one. I did the best that I could, but there was a big loss there, one that was felt by all of us.

I wish so many spouses were not hurting because of a military-related loss. I have friends whose husbands never came home from deployments. I have friends whose husbands came home, only to be completely different people. There are so many military families out there struggling, trying to heal from the wounds of war, whatever they might be.

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

I wish that when war was being talked about I could just ignore it because it didn’t affect me at all. But it does. What the US does overseas affects us, military families, greatly. There is no way to turn that off. We can’t do that like others can. We can’t just ignore it. We worry about war, new wars, and wars we have been in for years.

I am not sure where the idea came from that military life is simply a job, just like any other job. While there are plenty of other difficult jobs out there, each with their own struggles, the military life is a unique life, not like any other. And that is why we have the support systems we do.

As military spouses, we simply can’t go through this life alone. We need our people. Whether our people is a group of friends, a best friend that we can always talk to, or online friends we met through a support group. We reach out because we need to find people who understand what being a military spouse is all about, or at least listen to us as we make our way through this life.

The Military Life Isn't Like Any Other Life

The military affects the whole family. In one way or another.

As a National Guard spouse, I can go for periods of time without thinking about the military. But then, I hear about summer AT dates, or possible deployments. I wash his uniform and I remember every time I had to say goodbye to him while he was wearing it. The military is always there.

When my husband was active duty, deploying over and over, the military was even more so in our lives. When they told us my husband might have to deploy, days before my due date. When he was overseas and the deployment got extended, so he would be gone for over a year.

When duty calls, they must go, and we as spouses support them as they do.

The military is very much a part of our lives, there is no way to deny that. This is a completely different experience than a spouse who works a more typical 9-5 job. The military life is its own beast, for good and for bad.

I wish serving in the military was just like any other job, but it isn’t.

How has your spouse joining the military changed your life? 

 

This Giveaway for Military Spouses is Fantastic

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Five Military Spouses Can Win a Free Event Planning Franchise!

This Giveaway for Military Spouses is Fantastic!

And I wanted to let you all know about it 🙂

Five Military Spouses Can Win a Free Event Planning Franchise!

Merritt Island, FL, April 25, 2018 – EventPrep®, Inc. is launching its inaugural OPERATION: EventPrep® $200,000 Franchise GiveAway for Military Spouses on May 1, 2018, giving five deserving active duty military spouses the opportunity to join the ranks as an EventPrep® franchise owner at no cost.

The job hunt is over for military spouses who have difficulty finding a sustainable job because of frequent Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves. Home-based event planning franchise EventPrep® is offering a unique opportunity where military spouses can begin a new career in the hospitality industry as a small business owner, providing professional event planning and management services with no territory limitations. The GiveAway ends Monday, September 14, 2018.

“Military spouses are the perfect candidates to become event planning franchise owners,” said Paul Trapp, EventPrep’s Chief Executive Officer and Service Disabled Veteran. “Owning a home-based event planning franchise such as EventPrep® affords military spouses the flexibility to start and keep a new career as they move around the world while using their personal travel experiences and connections as a foundation for growing their business.”

The 2016 Military Lifestyle Survey conducted by the nonprofit Blue Star Families, a military family engagement organization and support network, found that less than half of military families with a civilian spouse earned two incomes and that employment is one of the top issues of concern among active duty spouses.

Five Military Spouses Can Win a Free Event Planning Franchise!

The EventPrep® $200,000 Franchise GiveAway for Military Spouses is open to spouses of active military service members from any of the five branches of the U.S. military (Army, Marine Corps,
Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard). It’s easy to enter!

✓ STEP 1 – Complete Easy Entry Form at www.EventPrepFranchise.com/GiveAway by July 15, 2018.
✓ STEP 2 – Submit on-line Candidate Profile Form by July 25, 2018.
✓ STEP 3 – Top 25 candidates announced on July 31, 2018.
✓ STEP 4 –Top 25 candidates create & submit a 2 minute “Why Me” video and complete a Personality Assessment by August 17, 2018.
✓ STEP 5 – Videos from the Top 10 candidates announced and posted online on August 20, 2018.

America can vote from August 20, 2018 through September 14, 2018.

The five GRAND PRIZE WINNERS of OPERATION: EventPrep® $200,000 Franchise GiveAway for Military Spouses will be announced Monday, September 17, 2018, and each will receive a complimentary EventPrep® franchise valued at $40,000.

The new franchise “recruits” will report for active EventPrep® duty November 4-9, 2018, when they will participate in a 6-day Franchise Training Bootcamp at the EventPrep® national training facility in Northern Virginia. Grand Prize Winners will be reimbursed up to $500 for their travel and provided with complimentary accommodations during the training program. Once training is completed, winners will be armed with all the tools, skills and knowledge they need to begin their journey as a full-service event planning and management small business.

About EventPrep®, Inc.

EventPrep® is a forward-thinking full-service event planning and management company with our corporate headquarters located in Central Florida. Our reach is global and our primary focus is to save our clients, time, money & anxiety while planning unforgettable events. We view ourselves as partners with our customers, our employees, our community & our environment. We are a globally recognized brand name, capitalizing on our in-depth industry experience & leveraging our industry relationships. Our mission is moderate growth, annual profitability & maintaining our sense of humor.

EventPrep® makes the business of event planning and management streamlined, simple and efficient for the client. The EventPrep® franchise is designed to replicate our proven business model into new markets with professionals who exemplify the same motivation to serve and the willingness to go the extra mile for the client. We offer franchisees the systems, support and business model; franchisees bring the willingness to learn, execute and build.

We are a company founded by Veterans and our company philosophies, work ethic, integrity and commitment to service are derived from our time in uniform. We can’t express enough gratitude and thanks to others who have served our great country and the families that support them.

To learn more about how you can be in business for yourself, but not by yourself with an EventPrep®Franchise, visit www.EventPrepFranchise.com. Like EventPrep® on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/EventPrepFranchise/ and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/eventprep-franchise-inc/ and follow EventPrep® on Twitter at @EventPrepFran.

Abbreviated Rules: OPERATION: EventPrep® $200,000 Franchise GiveAway for Military Spouses begins May 1, 2018 at 12:01 a.m. EST and ends September 14, 2018 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Void where prohibited by law. Must be 18 or older at the start of the GiveAway, have a computer and internet connection, be a legal resident of the United States or U.S. Territories, a legal spouse of a member in good standing of one of the five branches of the U.S. military who is on active duty as of the start date of the GiveAway and through the duration of the GiveAway end date. Grand Prize Winners will be given an EventPrep® home-based franchise valued at forty thousand dollars ($40,000). Grand Prize Winners must commit to 10-year ownership of an EventPrep® franchise and attendance at a 6-day Franchisee Training Bootcamp in Northern Virginia. Grand prize winners may be subject to federal, state and local taxes – please consult a tax professional for advice. Only one (1) submission per Candidate.

To enter, complete the online entry form on our website (www.EventPrepFranchise.com/GiveAway). Submissions must comply with the Submission Guidelines in the Official Rules. Only complete, valid submissions will be accepted. Sponsored by EventPrep Franchise, Inc., 266 Via De La Reina, Merritt Island, FL 32953.

See [www.EventPrepFranchise.com/GiveAway] for Complete Official Rules.

Five Military Spouses Can Win a Free Event Planning Franchise!

OPERATION EventPrep $200,000 Franchise GiveAway For Military Spouses

Complete Official Rules

Major GiveAway Dates:
• GiveAway begins at 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, May 1, 2018.
• Easy Entry Form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, July 15, 2018.
• Candidate Profile must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, July 25, 2018.
• Top 25 Candidates will be notified by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, July 31, 2018.
• Top 25 Candidates must submit a “Why Me” video and complete a Personality Assessment by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, August 17, 2018.
• Top 10 Candidates will have their video submission posted online by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, August 20, 2018 for America to vote.
• Online voting closes and GiveAway ends at 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, September 14, 2018.
• Top 5 Grand Prize Winners will be announced by 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, September 17, 2018.

Qualifications: Must be 18 or older at the start of the GiveAway, have a computer and internet connection, be a legal resident of the United States or U.S. Territories, a legal spouse of a member in good standing of one of the five branches of the U.S. military who is on active duty as of 12:01 a.m. eastern standard time, May 1, 2018 and throughout the duration of the GiveAway until 11:59 p.m. eastern standard time, September 17, 2018.

Submission and Notification Methods: Participants shall submit their Easy Entry Form and Candidate Profile via the OPERATION EventPrep Franchise GiveAway web portal. Top 25 Candidates shall submit a “Why Me” video via email to freefranchise@eventprep.com which includes a link to the Candidates video that has been posted on YouTube.com. Top 25 Candidates shall access the Personality Assessment via email from freefranchise@eventprep.com which includes a secure link to their individual Personality Assessment form. Confirmation receipts will be emailed to Candidates from freefranchise@eventprep.com upon receipt of the following: Easy Entry Form, Candidate Profile, “Why Me” video and Personality Assessment.

Prizes: Each Grand Prize Winner will be given one (1) EventPrep® home-based franchise valued at forty thousand dollars ($40,000). Each Grand Prize Winner will be provided an EventPrep® Franchise Disclosure Document and Franchise Agreement and allowed no less than fifteen (15) calendar days to review the documents. The documents outline proprietary details of the EventPrep® business model including a 10-year commitment to own an EventPrep® home-based franchise and attendance at a 6-day Franchisee Training Bootcamp in Northern Virginia. Each Grand Prize Winner will be reimbursed up to five hundred dollars ($500) for travel and meal expenses to attend the Franchisee Training Bootcamp November 4-9, 2018. Hotel accommodations during the Franchisee Training Bootcamp shall be provided to each Grand Prize Winner as complimentary.

Legal: Void where prohibited by law. Only one (1) submission per Candidate. Submissions must comply with the Submission Guidelines in the Official Rules. Only complete, valid submissions will be accepted. Sponsored by EventPrep Franchise, Inc., 266 Via De La Reina, Merritt Island, FL 32953. Grand prize winners may be subject to federal, state and local taxes – please consult a tax professional for advice.

 

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

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101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

So your spouse just deployed and you and your kids are in for a long journey. You look at how many months you have to get through, and you want to cry. How will you deal with this? How will you be able to stay busy enough to make it through?

If you have children, they will keep you busy. But sometimes you might need some ideas. Especially as the deployment goes on.

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

Here are 101 things you can do with your kids during a deployment:

1.  Create a deployment wall

2. Put together a care package

3. Write mom or dad a letter

4. Go to the park

5. Meet friends for dinner

6. Go for a walk

7. Go for a bike ride

8. Go fly kites in the park

9. Go pick out a new movie to watch together

10. Go to the movies

11. Have a picnic

12. Check out a new restaurant

13. Plan a trip

14. Go on a trip

15. Try Space-A

16. Learn to bake together

17. Plan an after deployment trip

18. Visit a new friend

19. Visit a long time friend

20. Visit family

21. Do crafts together

22. Reorganize rooms

23. Have a garage sale

24. Go to an MWR event

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

25. Join the YMCA

26. Go to church

27. Go to the library

28. Go bowling

29. Play miniature golf

 

30. Go roller skating

31. Go for a hike

32. Play dress up

33. Play with Legos

34. Go to Tinkergarden

35. Go out for ice cream

36. Volunteer

37. Go to a splash park

38. Go to MOPS

39. Go to a playgroup

40. Take your camera and go on a photo shoot

41. Go on a retreat

42. Take a train ride

43. Go to Disneyland

44. Go to Walt Disney World

45. Go to Sea World

46. Go to Universal Studios

47. Go to the zoo

48. Explore your city

49. Explore another city close by

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

50. Plan a day trip with friends

51. Walk the dog

 

52. Play with sidewalk chalk

53. Run in the sprinklers

54. Have a Harry Potter movie marathon

55. Have a Marvel movie marathon

56. Have a Star Wars movie marathon

57. Sign up for a fun run

58. Take a cupcake decorating class together

 

59.  Geocaching

60. Hunt for rocks

61. Visit the animals at your local animal shelter

62. Browse a bookstore

63. Get your nails done

64. Go fishing

65. Go shopping

66. Make a video for mom or dad

67. Go to an FRG meeting or event

68. Go on a nature walk

69. Go camping with friends

70. Have a regular pizza night

71. Go strawberry picking

72. Go to a play or musical

73. Go to a farm

74. Go for a drive

101 Things to Do With Your Kids During a Deployment

75. Go to an indoor play place

76. Get smoothies

77. Get slushies

78. Look at wildflowers

79. Go shoe shopping

80. Go back to school shopping

81. Go on a boat ride

82. Walk around your downtown area

83. Go to a farmer’s market

84. Go to a trampoline park

85. Go to Chuck E.Cheese

86. Invite friends over

87. Go to a friend’s house

88. Make a scrapbook

89. Read a book together

90. Play a video game together

91. Go to Target

92. Go to the dollar store

93. Go to yard sales

94. Go to the Disney store

95. Go to Build-a-Bear

96. Go to the beach

97. Go to the pool

98. Go to the lake

99. Go to a dog park

100. Take professional photos

101. Breathe, you guys will make it through this deployment!

What do you and your kids like to do during a deployment?

 

The Life of A Military Child

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The Life of A Military Child

April is the month of the military child. The children of those who have chosen to serve their country. The children of those who have given up their normal lives to protect the lives of others. The life of a military child can look very different from the life of a non-military child.

The life of a military child

The life of a military child means a lot of wondering and a lot of waiting. When will daddy be home? When will they be able to talk to mommy again? For the younger child, not knowing when they will see or hear from one of their parents can be confusing.

The life of a military child means having to move too often. Having to start over. Having to say goodbye to friends and not knowing if they will ever see them again. Adults are able to connect with friends through the phone and social media. Kids might not be able to. Once they say goodbye to their friends, they might not ever talk about them again.

The life of a military child can mean disappointment.

Their mom or dad might have to miss that first day of kindergarten, a first communion, or high school graduation. And even if that child understands why their parent has to be away, they still wish they could be there on those special days.

The life of a military child means making memories without both of their parents. There will be times when they go see Grandma, or go camping, or even to Disneyland and mom or dad won’t be able to join them. That through the fun they are having, they are missing a big part of their family. And that isn’t always easy to do.

The life of a military child means being so very proud of what their mom or dad does for a living. It is beaming with pride when they see the flag. It means reading about what the military has done in the past and realizing that their parent is apart of what the military is doing in the future.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means going to five different schools all before 2nd grade.

It means not being sure about the rules at this school compared to the one they just moved from. It means having to be the new girl or the new boy, more than once.

The life of a military child means meeting people from all over the country and the world. It means making memories with these people, ones that will last forever. It means going off into the world and being able to share the stories of play dates in Germany, and first dates in Japan.

The life of a military child means growing up, watching one of your parents work hard to make life full for them and their siblings, even when it was hard to do so. It means, having patience and knowing that their parents did what they could to make this military life a little bit easier.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means learning how to be resilient through the challenges military life brings.

It means learning patience at an early age and figuring out how to make the best of a sad situation. To go with the flow, even when that is not what they want to be doing. To realize that there is so much more to this world and that giving back is such a good thing to do.

The life of a military child means saying goodbye, and saying hello again, with bright smiles on their face. It means feeling so excited that Dad is coming home that they can’t even sleep the night before and that this homecoming will feel better than Christmas.

The life of a military child means that in the future, they will know how to handle military life if they choose to join themselves. It means following in their parent’s footsteps who might have followed in their own parent’s footsteps too. It means understanding what you have to give up when you join the military and signing up anyway.

The life of a military child means that in the future when meeting new people, and the person they eventually marry, that they know what saying yes to a military service member will mean. It means knowing what a PCS is, or what it means to shop at the Commissary.

The Life of A Military Child

The life of a military child means that other children might not understand what their life is like.

It’s sharing with their civilian friends about their journey and what their childhood was like. It’s reaching out to others and showing them compassion when they are going through a difficult time since they have been through so many themselves.

The life of a military child is filled with the good and the bad. The hello, the goodbye. It means always learning, always meeting new people, always having to adjust.

The life of a military child means sleepless nights, so many tears, and wondering what will happen next. It also means knowing that they are apart of history and that what their parent do matters, oh it matters so very much.

The life of a military child should be celebrated as we do every April.

As military spouses, we are raising our own military children to the best of our abilities. We know that many parts of this military life are not easy for them, just like they are not easy for us. Yet, we do what we can to make sure they feel loved and can find the extra help they might need to get through.

We help them stay busy, we make plans, we take them on trips. We listen when they share how badly they miss their mom or dad. We hug them and let them know that we miss them too. Even if we are not sure that our words will help, we pray that they do.

How many military children are you raising? How old are they???

 

Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

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Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

Have you heard of the restaurant, Mission BBQ? We just got one here in the Fort Campbell area last year and I was excited to try their yummy food. I have heard such good things about them over the years. As I walked in the first thing I noticed was their decor. On the wall was everything you can imagine honoring the military as well as others who serve their community.

Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

I ordered the pulled pork sandwich and enjoyed my meal immensely.

Mission BBQ first opened on September 11, 2011, by two friends who were passionate about BBQ, being patriotic, and running a business with meaning and purpose.

This from their, “Our Story” section of their website says it all:

“We believe there is nothing more American than BBQ. And nobody more American than the brave men and women who have sworn to protect and serve Our Communities and Our Country. We do what we do for the love of our soldiers, firefighters, police officers, first responders—all our loved ones in service.”

Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

 

When you go to a Mission BBQ, you can have a good meal, in a patriotic dining room. If you happen to be there at noon, you can be apart of the daily salute to our country as everyone stops to sing the National Anthem.

There are quite a few choices of what to eat when you go to Mission BBQ. You can enjoy brisket, pulled pork, turkey, pulled chicken, sausage, sides, and more. They even have a kid’s menu for the younger ones.

Mission BBQ and Giving Back to the Military Community

 

 

You can also get food delivered to parties of five or more and can find Mission BBQ in 13 states at the moment.

Mission BBQ is also known for giving back to their communities which is such a nice thing to hear these days. They have military appreciation nights where all the sales from the night are donated to a variety of organizations. These have been organizations such as the USO, the Navy Seal Foundation, and Wreaths Across America.

They truly give back to the military community!

Have you ever been to a Mission BBQ? You can search for one near you and plan to visit as soon as you can 🙂

 

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

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A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Being a military spouse, I get asked all the time if I watched Army Wives. There is something about military themed movies and tv shows that can show our civilian friends a window into our world. Some of these are really good at showing our military lives and others, not as much.

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Most of the military themed movies and tv shows out there focus on the service member. Either showing a war, life after war, or a humorous take on it all. Some include the military spouse, and of course, we have Army Wives.

When watching some of these movies, we might laugh at how wrong they are wearing their uniform, or cry at how real they were able to show the emotions of those dealing with deployments and everything that comes with military life. We might get excited to see our favorite actor putting on a uniform, or watch with nostalgia, a movie or television show we remember watching when we were younger.

Whether you love them, or they drive you nuts, here is a super long list of military themed movies and tv shows to watch:

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed tv shows and miniseries

Army Wives

The Astronaut Wives Club

Band of Brothers

The Brave

Generation Kill

Enlisted

Hogan’s Heroes

The Last Ship

The Last Post

The Long Road Home

Jag

Mash

McHale’s Navy

NCIS

The Pacific

The Unit

A Super Long List of Military Themed Movies and TV Shows

Military themed movies

12 Strong

13 Hours

American Sniper

Black Hawk Down

Born on the 4th of July

Brothers

Captain America

Coming Home

Courage Under Fire

Dear John

Dunkirk

A Few Good Men

Forest Gump

Full Metal Jacket

Fury

Good Morning Vietnam

Gone With the Wind

The Great Escape

Green Zone

Hacksaw Ridge

The Hurt Locker

Jarhead

Lone Survivor

Love and Honor

Lucky One

Max

Megan Leavey

Men of Honor

The Patriot

Patton

Pearl Harbor

Private Benjamin

Three Kings

Sand Castle

Sands of Iwo Jima

Saving Private Ryan

The Shooter

Stop Loss

Thank You For Your Service

Top Gun

We Were Soldiers

Unbroken

White Christmas

Zero Dark Thirty

 

What would you add to this list? What are your favorite military themed movies and television shows?

16 Ways You Know You Are Raising Children In A Military Family

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16 Ways You Know You Are Raising Children In A Military Family

I had exactly 13 months of raising children before we became a military family. When my husband joined the military in 2005, our oldest son was only a little over a year. All the parenting I have done after that has been within military life and culture, at least to some extent.

16 Ways You Know You Are Raising Children In A Military Family

April is the month of the military child, here are 16 ways to know that you are raising children in a military family:

1. None of your children were born in the same place!

One in California, one in Tennessee, one in Germany, what’s so weird about that?

2. You have photos of your children in actual castles, one that is right down the street.

You still can’t get over that you used to live in a house down the street from a castle. Thank you overseas orders.

3. You have a kid-size pair of ACUs somewhere in your home.

You bought them when your husband first joined, and now all your kids have worn them for Halloween.

4. You can’t totally remember if your senior in high school started kindergarten when you were stationed at Fort Riley or if that happened after you moved to Fort Campbell.

Your memory is a little fuzzy back then, and it could have been either place really.

5. They are the cousins that family back home doesn’t quite know as well as the ones that live right there.

Sadly, this can happen because you just can’t seem to get orders for anywhere close to home.

6. Spending time with extended family is always so special because it doesn’t get to happen as often as you would like.

Yes, yes it is.

16 Ways You Know You Are Raising Children In A Military Family

7. Turning 10 is an exciting day, your kids get their very own ID.

And make sure to always have it with you, in case you need it.

8. Your kids know what it is like to be the new boy or girl in class.

Being the new kid is never easy, but in some cases, they are not the only one living in a military town.

9. They also know what it is like to spend a few years in England and then spend a few years in Hawaii.

Or maybe it is more like a few years in Texas and then a few in Alaska. Military kids get to live in different places, and that can make for a pretty fantastic childhood.

10. Your children know what it means when mom gets a little teary and there seem to be more military bags around the house.

Children figure it out, and they know the signs of an upcoming deployment.

11. You have had to reassure a child that they will see their Dad soon, even though you know soon is in four months.

And part of your worries that they might never come back, but you never share that worry with your kids.

12. You have cursed out a bad internet connection because it is your son’s birthday and they wanted to share it with mom across the miles.

That is the worst; kids don’t always understand that it is the connection that is the problem, and not that their mom or dad doesn’t want to talk with them.

13. You have so many Daddy Dolls around the house that they could start their own preschool.

You get them before every deployment, and even sometimes in between.

16 Ways You Know You Are Raising Children In A Military Family

14. Your children use pencils to do homework with USAA, NavyFed, and MWR on them.

You also get these free at every event or fair you have been to in the last five years. But hey, you never run out of these important homework tools.

15. You had at least one of your children during a deployment and thought you were pretty amazing for doing that without your spouse by your side.

Giving birth without your spouse isn’t easy, but we military spouses know doing so could be apart of the deal.

16. You know this life is difficult sometimes, but you also know there are so many amazing things that your kids will get to experience because of raising kids in a military family.

Some days, being a military family can be so hard, but that doesn’t mean military life is without its benefits. Serving your country means being apart of something important. And when you look back in the years to come, you will see how much your family has gained from being apart of the military community.