Every military child’s story will be different. Ask questions about their experiences to show you care and learn what kind of support each child needs.
While applying what you’ve learned, here are some factors to keep in mind.
Age. Children of different ages benefit from different types of support. Younger children might need to playact their experiences, while older children might have the vocabulary to discuss their complicated feelings. But all children will appreciate when an adult takes the time to show a sincere interest in them.
Previous Experience. Ask about the child’s previous experiences with moving and with the deployment cycle. This can help you learn what supports were helpful to them in the past, or what aspects of moving or deployment have been especially difficult.
Community. Help military families in your school meet each other. It helps kids to know others who are going through similar experiences. This is especially important for families in the National Guard and Reserve, who may have much less contact with other military families.
Trauma. Military children are exposed to events that can be traumatic, and, like all children, their ability to cope will vary. It’s obviously stressful when a family member is away in a combat zone, injured, or killed. But, TV, movies, and news about war, terrorism, or violence can also be stressful. If a child seems defiant or angry, try to find out if there’s something in their life that they’re struggling with and whether their behavior is a reaction to feeling unsafe or scared. This helps you avoid responding in a way that escalates those feelings. Try not to take their behavior personally or react with anger of your own. If a child shows signs of trauma, one of the first steps is to make a referral to other student support personnel, such as a school counselor, psychologist, social worker, teacher, or principal.
Resilience. Military children often develop strengths from their experiences. Military culture emphasizes values like patriotism, service, organization, leadership, and problem-solving. And previous moves may have given them first-hand knowledge of other regions, countries, languages, or cultures. Learn about the skills and experiences of the military children in your school and give them opportunities to share their strengths.
Here are some policies that have helped other schools ease new children into a class or program.
Ask if children have a parent in the military during registration, so teachers are aware.
Assign a “buddy” for the first week or two, to show new children around. Make sure they stay warm and welcoming, even if, like Sam, the new child is slow to warm up.
Help kids value their own experiences by encouraging them to talk with the group about other places they’ve lived.
Ask families to share their child’s experiences throughout the deployment cycle. Keep them informed of their child’s progress and behavior in your school or program.
Needs change over time, so make sure to have periodic check-ins with the child and their family.
This concludes the simulation Transitions: Supporting Military Children. Thank you for learning how to support military children in a school or childcare setting. Please click the link below to request a certificate of completion.
Military Kids Connect- Section for Educators
At Military Kids Connect, learn about military culture and the life of military children coping with a parent's deployment. There are also lesson plans for various ages and tips for helping students cope with deployment and other tough situations.
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