Military Children

month of the military child image, small hands, big hearts During April (the Month of the Military Child), the Military Health System offers resources to the parents and family members who help provide children with the care they need to grow and develop into maturity.

Military children often face additional stress related to deployments and time spent with a parent away from home. Therefore, additional support is often needed to ensure that children receive the guidance and direction they need.

Helping Your Child Cope
Sesame Street Talk, Listen Connect
Useful Links

Helping Your Child Cope

Here are a few things you can do to help your child overcome the unique challenges associated with military life. Give your child the upper hand by taking strucuted time out of your day to help them understand the changing world around them.

Talk to your children about how military deployments are necessary to protect the nation.
When a parent is deployed, help your child assemble gift packages to send and show their support.
When your child moves to a new city, ensure that he or she is able to connect with other children and enjoy childhood.
Visit your child's school to meet new teachers and administrators and learn what is expected from you and your child.
Give your child time to adjust to a new location and new people. Be sure to pay close attention to how your child reacts to a new location.
Get to know other military parents in your area and find out how you can work together to support the children in your community. Check the links below to find useful resources that will give your child a great start on life.

Sesame Street Talk, Listen, Connect

Sesame Street characters Sesame Workshop's Talk, Listen, Connect, program is designed to support military families with children between the ages of two and five who are experiencing deployment, multiple deployments, or a parent's return home changed due to a combat-related injury.

The bilingual (English and Spanish) Talk, Listen, Connect, multimedia kit, which includes music, videos and print materials, can be ordered free of charge through MilitaryOneSource, or downloaded at the Sesame Workshop Web site.

Watch Talk, Listen, Connect videos:

Useful Links

For Kids

Deployment Kids - Deployment Kids offers children's activities related to deployment, including downloads, a distance calculator, journals and games.
Kids.gov - An official U.S. government kids' portal that provides resources to children and parents, and contains a variety of interesting and educational content for kids. Kids.gov links to over 1,200 web pages from government agencies, schools, and educational organizations.
MTOM - MTOM for Kids provides information to help children successfully make the transition when their family moves. The site covers saying goodbye, how to move and being a kid.
Sesame Workshop - Providing bilingual educational outreach program designed to support military families with children between the ages of two and five who are experiencing deployment, multiple deployments, or a parent's return home changed due to a combat-related injury.
VA Kids - VA Kids offers a variety of games, resources, scholarship information and links for students in grades K through fifth and sixth through twelfth. Information is also provided for teachers.

For Parents

American Academy of Pediatrics - The American Academy of Pediatrics Military Youth Deployment Support Web site has been designed to support military youth, families, and the youth serving professionals caring for this population.
Books for Military Children - Provides a listing of books that military children of all ages might find interesting. The books listed deal with issues such as frequent moves, parent deployments, changing schools, and living on a military base.
ChildWelfare.gov - Child Welfare Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and families by connecting child welfare, adoption and related professionals as well as concerned citizens to timely, essential information.
The Family Resiliency Kit, available at no cost, includes educational materials on coping with the stress of deployment, recognizing signs and symptoms of mental health problems, reconnecting with children, and how and when to access behavioral health services provided by the DoD and Veterans Affairs. To register to receive a free Family Resiliency Kit, visit www.MentalHealthScreening.org or email Military@MentalHealthScreening.org or call 781-239-0071.
Force Health Protection and Readiness provides information for families with multiple deployments
Military Child - Military Child Education Coalition is a non-profit organization that identifies and addresses the challenges facing the highly mobile military child.
Military Pathways offers an online screening tool for military families in all branches. The tool, called Brief Screening for Adolescent Depression (B-SAD), offers parents the opportunity to assess their children’s risk for depression and suicidality and determine whether to seek further help.
National Military Family Association - The NMFA educates military families about their rights, benefits and services available to them, and provides information regarding the issues that affect their lives.
Operation Military Kids - Operation Military Kids is the U.S. Army's collaborative effort with America's communities to support children and youth impacted by deployment.
Our Military Kids - Provides support to the children of deployed and severely injured National Guard and Military Reserve service members. The site provides activities and tutoring that nurture and sustain children while their parents serve.
Scholarships for Military Children - A site devoted to the Scholarships for Military Children Program, created in recognition of the contributions of military families. The site provides information on applying for military scholarships.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration - SAMHSA focuses on building resilience and facilitating recovery for people with or at risk for mental or substance use disorders. Resources are provided to help children through the challenges of a parents deployment.
The Yellow Ribbon Program - The Yellow Ribbon Program is designed to provide National Guard and Reserve members and their families with information, services, referrals, and proactive outreach opportunities throughout the deployment cycle.

For Professionals

Military Community and Family Policy is directly responsible for programs and policies which establish and support community quality of life programs for service members and their families worldwide. Take a look a resources they've identified for military children and families.
Military K-12 Partners - References and information for K-12 military education partners.
Zero to Three - Zero to Three informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.