Soldier's Wife, Crazy Life

military life

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by Julia Cook

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Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by Julia Cook

If you are raising military children you might always be on the lookout for books that can help them through the challenges of military life, such as deployments. I was sent one of these books for review!

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by Julia Cook

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by national award-winning children’s author, Julia Cook, Illustrated by Tamara Campeau is a fantastic way to explore deployments from a child’s point of view.

The book goes with the idea that everyone in the family is a puzzle piece. I like this because families do have to work together, no matter what. You all have to fit and as life goes along, you form a complete picture.

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by Julia Cook

However, when one parent has to deploy, things change a bit. You feel like apart of your family is missing. You feel like a puzzle without all of its pieces.

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing by Julia Cook

The book goes on to show the dad puzzle piece coming home and the struggles that can bring to a family as well. The dad puzzle doesn’t just go right back to where he was. And the rest of the family has changed a bit too.

This book really gives a good picture of what happens during and after a deployment in a way that children can truly understand.

In the back of the book, you can find “Tips For Helping Kids With Deployment” which is a great resource to have too.

Please visit these links to learn more and purchase a book for your own military children:

Julia Cook

Deployment One of Our Pieces is Missing 

BUT WAIT…

Before you go…they also gave me TWO copies to giveaway to two of my readers 🙂

Enter this giveaway by leaving a comment telling me who the book would be for. This giveaway will run until Tuesday, June 5th, 2018, 11:59 pm.

US and APO addresses only! 

To the National Guard Spouse During AT

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To the National Guard Spouse During AT

It’s summer! Well…almost. Today is actually the last day of school, so I am calling it. And with summer comes a lot of fun. Time at the pool, sleeping in, BBQs, movies in the park…but summer also brings something big for us National Guard and Reserve spouses…AT. Annual training. The “two weeks a year” part of the National Guard commitment we always hear so often.

To the National Guard Spouse During ATMy husband’s AT has been different every year. The first year he was gone on the fourth of July, for about two and a half weeks. I think he went to Texas or Louisana? It’s hard to remember. The next time he was gone for three weeks in June. It feels like it is different every year, anywhere from two to three to four weeks.

I am in a National Guard Spouse Facebook group, and with summer approaching and many National Guard units leaving for AT or NTC, it is clear, many spouses are not having the easiest time.

AT isn’t something I think too much about during the rest of the year.

I know it is coming, and before he leaves, I always tell myself the time apart won’t be a big deal. That it is just a few weeks, that it isn’t a deployment, and that we have been apart for a long longer over the years.

But the reality is, once AT starts, I go right into solo parenting mode, and none of that is easy. I have to have a lot of talks with myself to get through. I have to stay busy and work hard so that I don’t get too sad about missing having him around.

So, to the National Guard spouse that is missing their love this summer, to the Reserve spouse who wishes time would fly, you got this.

I mean it.

We can do this. We can.

We have done it before, we can get through it all again.

We will figure out what works for us and make it to the finish line.

One of the hardest things about AT is what your spouse is going to miss.

Maybe that is the end of school for your kids and all that comes with it; maybe it is summer traditions like going to the pool the first day it opens, or even missing a big part of the sports season. Whatever it is, it sucks that they have to miss it. You know that just comes with military life, but that doesn’t make things any easier.

AT or NTC can be even harder when you know they are preparing for an upcoming deployment. You know this is just a taste of what life will be like when they are away for longer. And sometimes we might freak out about future time apart. You might wonder how you will get through a nine-month deployment if these three weeks are this hard.

https://soldierswifecrazylife.com/2017/08/21/military-spouse-memes-national-guard-spouses/

The truth of all this is, yes, these three weeks at AT might be a little brutal, but once the deployment starts, you will get into a groove.

This might take a while, but it will happen. This doesn’t mean the deployment is going to be easy, but you will find ways to make it through, no matter how long the deployment might be. And you might even be able to find a good groove during AT.

Don’t assume that how you feel on your hardest day of AT is how you will feel throughout your whole deployment. You might have days like that, but you will also have days where you feel like you are rocking the homefront and can handle anything that comes your way.

So to the National Guard spouse that is wishing their husband or wife was back home, to the Reserve spouse who wants time to fly, eventually, AT or NTC will be over.

They will be home again, and you can get back to your summer.

And in the meantime, make plans, make a lot of plans. Don’t just stay in your house. Take the time to organize a room in your home or to take a trip back home if it works out to do so. Look at these weeks apart as a time to work on yourself and grow as a person. Find other spouses who either understand what you are going through or will be your support as you go through it.

AT never seems to come at a good time. There will always be something that they miss that you wish they wouldn’t. You will always wish that the time apart was a little bit shorter.

https://soldierswifecrazylife.com/2017/08/21/military-spouse-memes-national-guard-spouses/

But in the end, you can use this time for good.

Whether it is working on your house, making memories with your kids, or simply remembering what you love about your spouse.

As National Guard spouses, we might not have a lot of local support but there is plenty of online support, and you might even be surprised at the friends you will make along the way.

Here are a couple of Facebook groups to join if you are a National Guard spouse looking to connect with others:

The Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life Community

We have quite the fair share of National Guard and Reserves spouses in my group 🙂

Army National Guard Wives

National Guard Wives

So, if you are getting ready for your spouse to leave for AT or NTC this summer, here are a few things to remember:

  • Stay busy
  • Work on yourself
  • Find new friends (even if they are just online.)
  • Don’t assume a future deployment will feel the same way
  • Make goals
  • You got this!

Here are some of my National Guard blog posts too 🙂

The National Guard Doesn’t Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True

5 Challenges of Being a Military Spouse Married to a Member of the National Guard or the Reserves

Military Spouse Memes for National Guard Spouses

What are you planning to do while your spouse is away for AT this year? 

The National Guard Doesn’t Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True

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The National Guard Doesn’t Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True

I have been a National Guard spouse for four years now. After years as an active duty spouse, I am very aware of the differences, even if some of them don’t apply to me directly. There are a lot of myths about the National Guard and Reserves life out there that simply are not true.

I think a lot of them are there simply because people don’t know any National Guard or Reserve families or make assumptions based on things they have read or heard about in the media. Whatever the reasons, this post is all about those myths as well as the truths behind them. I asked my Facebook group, and other National Guard and Reserves spouses told me what myths they have encountered over the years:

The National Guard Doesn't Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True

One weekend a month, two weeks a year

Okay, let’s talk about this. You have probably heard the tagline about the National Guard or the Reserves as being just one weekend a month, two weeks a year.

What really happens? Well, one weekend a month can be anywhere from 1 day to 4 or 5. Usually 3-4 days. So a weekend, plus a day or two.

The two weeks a year is usually more like 3 or 4, sometimes more than that. We are right in the middle of AT season right now, and service members are training for way more than two weeks at a time.

This also doesn’t account for any extra training or schools they might do during the year.

They don’t deploy

Yep, heard this one plenty of times and it isn’t true at all. While it is true that some Guard units haven’t been deployed for some time, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen or won’t happen. Back when we started the Iraq war, I remember hearing about so many of the National Guard units deploying for up to 18 months.

These days, the National Guard deploys pretty much anywhere that active duty might go. Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa, and even Europe. They don’t just stay within their state, they go out into the world, wherever they are sent.

Being in the Guard or Reserves is easier

I will say that our National Guard experience has been easier than our Active Duty experience. But from talking with other spouses, this isn’t true for them or even necessarily the norm. This depends on so many things.

There is nothing easy about being a National Guard or Reserves spouse. There are a lot of things that they have to deal with that active duty doesn’t. There are different ways to serve your country, each other their own struggles.

For some, a typical month would include 50-60+ hours in a civilian job, a drill weekend, and then 50-60+ hours in the civilian job. This is all without a day off in between. Talk about being burned out from work.

40 years for retirement

Another myth is that to receive retirement as a National Guard or Reserve service member is by serving 40 years, double the time it would take an active duty service member. But that isn’t true.

What is true is that your service member will not receive their retirement until they are 60, in some cases 50. And they also will need 20 years of qualifying service. A qualifying year means 50 retirement points. This article, Guard And Reserve Retirement explains more.

The National Guard Doesn't Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True
That fitness isn’t that important
There is the idea that fitness isn’t important in the National Guard and Reserves, but that simply isn’t true. While a service member in the Guard or Reserves won’t go to PT on a daily basis as active duty does, they still have to maintain standards. They will still have PT tests that they need to pass.

That they don’t miss as much

I am not sure why people have the idea that National Guard or Reserve service members don’t miss too much. They can miss plenty. And it seems like anything important will take place during a drill weekend.

Bosses have to give you the time off, so everything is cool

Legally, your boss has to give you the time off you need to go to drills and training as well as deployment. They can’t fire you because of your military service. However, that doesn’t mean they have to be nice about it. Employers have been known to be quite rude about service members having to take time off.

And when it comes down to it, in some cases, these men and women might have to take vacation days when they do have to go somewhere. This means that they don’t have any left for a vacation with their family. This causes all types of frustrations. While there are good employers that value and respect military service, not all of them do, and that can cause a strain on the whole family.

We get all the same military spouse benefits

There are a lot of military spouse benefits out there for those married to those who serve. However, not all are available for the National Guard or Reserve spouse. Things like the spousal preference for finding a job and MYCAA have limitations that can leave us out. That can be frustrating as you are trying to work on your own career around military life.

The National Guard Doesn't Deploy and Other Myths That Are Simply Not True

We shouldn’t miss them because they are only gone for a few weeks

Another idea we hear is that we don’t have a right to miss our spouses because they are only gone a few weeks. The reality is, missing your spouse is missing your spouse. And when you are not used to something happening, it can make it that much harder.

I have been through a 15-month deployment and AT is still really difficult for me. I like having my husband around on a daily basis, and when he is gone, I miss him terribly.

We also need to remember that since National Guard and Reserves can and do deploy bother overseas and within the US, for months at a time, National Guard spouses, as well as Reserve spouses, are missing our loved ones just like active duty does.

That we have a lot of money

Okay look, how much money a National Guard family makes depends on so many things. It depends on what the service member does for a civilian job, what the spouse does for a job, how often they deploy, and at what rank. In some cases, a deployed service member will bring in more than what they would at their civilian job, in other cases less.

That National Guard and Reserves spouses are not real military spouses

Okay, hearing that as a National Guard spouse I am not a real military spouse is frustrating. And it simply isn’t true. While our spouse’s work hours and time in uniform might look a little different, they are still very much a part of the US military. Please don’t question that, or assume we are less than. We are not.

Are you married to a member of the National Guard or the Reserves? 

PCSing This Summer? These Relocation Tips Will Help!

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Happy to have a guest post from Charlene Wilde about dealing with relocation! If you would like to guest post on Soldier’s Wife, Crazy Life, please visit my Duty Station Guest Post page or make sure to send me an email for more details! 

PCSing This Summer? These Relocation Tips Will Help!

Dealing with relocation this summer? These tips can help.

As many military spouses know, the summer doesn’t just mean that kids are out of school and beaches are open for business. At this time of year permanent changes of station become more frequent and dealing with the challenges that come with relocation is a reality for many military spouses and their families.

With so much on your plate as a military spouse, the last thing you want to worry about is adjusting after a move. As someone who has moved every two years for the past 15 years (with and without children!), here are some tips and best practices to make the transition smoother.

Effectively manage your budget:

Relocation provides the perfect opportunity to assess, and possibly reset, your financial posture. At the core of this is updating your budget. If you have experienced a PCS in the past, learn from what has and hasn’t worked in managing your finances. For example, if you’re moving to a base abroad you will most likely need to purchase a car when you get there. If you move to a city with readily available and reliable public transportation, it might be time to part ways with your car and pocket some additional cash for savings.

In terms of preparing for the move financially, you may be eligible for military advance pay as support. If you use this option, the military service member would be paid an advance of basic pay not exceeding three months to cover non-reimbursable moving expenses. It’s important to remember that this is a loan that you will have to pay back and not simply free money.

Next, consider how much of your budget needs to be allotted to housing in your new city. While you will get a basic housing allowance, be sure to do your own research and determine the cost of living in the area and understand the market. Will you want to rent, or would it be more financially advantageous to buy? This is just one of the important questions you and your spouse need to discuss.

You may also not have the luxury of being able to view a new home or apartment in person. If that is the case, be sure to find a local realtor with knowledge of the military community. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who may not have your best interest in mind or who lack an understanding of the needs of a military family. Use trusted, military-spouse-focused social media pages (like this one) and resources in the area to get advice from those who have gone through the process.

Tap into the military spouse community:

Remember, you are never alone in this journey! As briefly mentioned above, it is extremely important to use the contacts and resources around you to help aid in this transition. While it may seem overwhelming to meet new people, the military spouse community is extremely supportive. Be proactive and consider joining the various spouse groups on base as a way to introduce yourself in-person to a new community and meet like-minded individuals. For example, Family Readiness Groups are command-sponsored groups that allow you to learn more about the new unit and area.

We live in a world that seems to get more digital by the day, so don’t discount the value of making connections online. Spouse groups on Facebook or elsewhere can be great sources of support and vital information to help with your move. Especially as we approach the summer months when many families PCS, there will be a lot of newcomers who may share the same concerns as you.

Keep the lines of communication open:

Whether it is just you and your spouse, or you’re juggling moving the whole family cross- country, it is essential to communicate openly and honestly with the whole family about the changes that are going to take open place. While talking finances may not be the most glamorous topic, there are also other things to consider when you PCS.

If you have children, make sure to talk about the process early and often. This transition can be tough on the entire family, especially as your children switch schools and have to make new friends. Involve them at an age-appropriate level in planning your move. Sit down as a family and highlight what there is to do and see in your new home in order to build excitement. Plan your budget accordingly so that you can enjoy small trips and entertainment once you are settled in order to learn about your new home.

Preparation can make the stress of a tough move much easier on both you and your military spouse. If you stay organized and open to the support and resources provided, you can tackle a permanent change of station this summer with ease.

Charlene Wilde is a veteran and military spouse. She is the Assistant Secretary of AAFMAA, our nation’s longest standing military financial services non-profit and a contributor to Spouselink, a site that informs and connects Military Spouses.

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? 

 

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???