Life of a Military Child
The Life of a Military Child It is often stated that soldiers who fight for our country make several sacrifices. While many have made the ultimate sacrifice, there are many more people who are affected by their service than just themselves. Children that belong to parents that have served or have parents currently serving are forced to overcome many obstacles. Not only are they forced to spend large amounts of time separated from their parent/parents, but they are forced to also move and adjust to unexpected changes frequently with no warning. Whether it is ever made known or not, when a solider enlists into any branch of the military, their family enlists as well, and just as they make a sacrifice so does their children. They often sacrifice time bonding with their parents, convenience of stability, and sometimes their wants and needs. Children that belong to a parent that have served or parents that are serving are forced to overcome many obstacles. Military children must adjust to a new life when their parents are away. Sometimes it’s their mother, sometimes it’s their father, but there are many cases where there are both parents away at the same time. The children are separated for various reasons to include their parents going to the field for weeks at a time, and sometimes they are sent overseas on dangerous deployments for up to 15 months at a time. Those children spend a great deal of days and nights worrying and wishing they could see and spend time with their parents. Soldiers are also sometimes sent on hardship permanent changes of station where they aren’t allowed to take their family members for up to 1 year. Almost daily military children are forced to wake up early and go to bed late because their parents work from 6:30 in the morning to after 5:00 in the evening. Military children are also forced to move around a lot. A soldier can receive orders to relocate within a 3 to 6 month window
References: Elaine Willerton, Rona L. Schwarz, Shelley M. MacDermid Wadsworth, Mary Schultheis Oglesby (June/Oct 2011). Journal Article: Military Father’s perspectives on involvement Military Family Research Institute, Purdue University. US American Psychological Association.