Military Special Needs Network
Proudly Supporting all Military Families with a Special Needs Dependent
An Ode to the Military Child
Being a Military Child is a tough gig. It seems that once you get the hang of things, everything changes. Whether it be moving every three years to saying goodbye to a deploying parent. But there is one thing that is consistent with being a military child, you grow up knowing what Honor, Strength and Courage actually mean. Those three virtues are in every aspect of military life.
Honor:
Military children from the get go know what it is like to Honor tradition, those who have come before them and the way of life that is their own. They know that with military, comes a way of doing things. From Taps to Reveille. They know to proudly salute the flag and give it the respect it deserves. They know to honor those who have fallen in the name of their own freedom. They know to honor those who did make it back. They know that there is certain aspects of their lives that will always have a military connection.
Strength:
It takes a lot of strength to face what military life brings you. Even a spouse will say that it’s tough. So image what it’s like trying to live this lifestyle as a child. It takes a lot of strength to goodbye to a deploying parent. It takes a lot of strength to face all those feelings that come along with saying goodbye. It seems that the military child has to draw a lot of strength in saying goodbyes. With moving every three years or so, it seems they are forever saying goodbye. It also takes a lot trying to establish yourself in a new school. Putting yourself out there again and again. Which brings us to Courage.
Courage:
This is always important, especially to a child. Our military children are prime examples of what courage is. Their ability to adapt to whatever life throws at them and still continue to march to the beat of their own drum is awfully courageous. A lot of them have this mentality of “Well, that sucked, what’s next?” They are able to look for the positives when there are so many negatives. It’s a tough world out there, but they seem to be a little more hardened to it more than most children. Courage is the child who stands tall and proud at a fallen service member’s funeral and takes it upon themselves to make sure the surviving parent is ok.
The Military Child is a child that should be honored. They should be cherished. They are the children that will have a full understanding of what it takes to be in the Military. They are the children will learn their ABC’s as ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE. They are the child that learns time as 0800 and 1400. They are the child that understands geography, as they have travelled to the four corners of the earth. They are the children that knows why we celebrate holidays like Veteran’s Day and Memorial Day. They will stand in front of their school and tell everyone how proud they are to be in a military family. They are the children that despite all that is asked of them, still continue to be grounded.
They are the children that teach us just what Honor, Strength and Courage actually mean.
Military Special Needs Network 