Celebrate Month of the Military Child

Enter the “Young Lives, Big Stories” contest to tell your story about what it means to be a military kid at ArmyMWR.com/YLBS during Month of the Military Child.

Bring your Family to Kids’ Fest

JBLM’s free Kids’ Fest, “Barnyard Play,” kicks off the Month of the Military Child Thursday, April 4, 1–4:30 p.m. at the MWR Fest Tent and Bowl Arena Lanes at Lewis Main. Enjoy hands-on activities, exhibits, displays, crafts, interactive games, rock wall climbing, free bowling, static displays and entertainment. The fest tent is next to Bowl Arena Lanes at 2200 Liggett Ave.

Constant change can build resiliency, respect for others

By Cindy Arnold, CYS marketing liaison

When reflecting on the life of a military child, the word “change” is often one of the first things that comes to my mind. My father was in the Air Force for 20 years, and I always like to say that my mother was, too — she supported him and two children during all the moves and change that occurred. This year’s Month of the Military Child theme — “Military Kids Can!” — is exactly what every military Family learns, that military kids can:

• Learn that things change and that’s OK.

• Find that moving can be fun and you learn a lot each time.

• Respect diversity and difference.

• Discover that constant change builds resiliency, new friends, new schools, new — everything! This resiliency creates tools for building your new life each time, and all of these challenges help you gain insight into who you are.

As you become an adult, you’ll find these skills that you cultivated as a child are invaluable. I know that I have.

Honoring our military youth

By Dr. Crosby, FOCUS Project

In the Families OverComing Under Stress Project, whenever we ask military children about the challenges of being in a military Family, they often say that PCS moves and their parent’s absence for trainings or deployment are the hardest aspects. However, when asking these same children about the positives of being in a military Family, these same topics are often identified. So, how is it that a PCS move or a parent’s absence can have any positives for a military child?

We know that military children develop the strength of being resilient. But what does that really mean? When military children experience a PCS move, they’re often pulled away from their friends and activities, but they also demonstrate an ability to naturally improve their social skills while making new friends in their new town.

The skill of relationship-building is often key in adulthood; military children learn how to use their relationship skills effectively by navigating new social groups and personalities. They also learn how to engage in new activities and groups, if those in which they previously participated are unavailable at their new home.

Other strengths that military children develop from PCS moves are flexibility, variety and broadened perspectives. For each move, children learn about new cities, cultures, food and even countries. They meet children from different cultural backgrounds, live in a variety of geographical locations and get opportunities to visit sites that many civilian children don’t get to see.

Additionally, when a parent is absent for an extended period of time, military children develop the strength to show up. They take on new tasks at home (taking out the trash or watching their younger sibling, for example) and show they’re able to help out the Family in several ways. When they do this, military children establish a greater sense of responsibility and independence, which help provide a strong foundation for the teenage years and adulthood. Their resilience shines through their ability to not only overcome otherwise challenging situations, but also to thrive while doing so.

With so many strengths that military children develop from the challenges they may face in military life, April’s Month of the Military Child is a great time to sit down with your children and acknowledge their strengths.

Come into the FOCUS Project at JBLM to learn creative ways to highlight their strengths as military children! FOCUS is located at 2013B N. 3rd St. (at Pendleton Avenue) in Room 331.

Call 253-966-6390 for additional information, or email JBLM@focusproject.org. You may also visit online at FocusProject.org or fb.com/FOCUSresiliencytraining.