Children who are connected to the military have unique needs and experiences compared with peers of the same age. These experiences often include frequent moves, change in schools, leaving friends, prolonged separations, and deployments of family members.

Being raised as a military child, I have experienced 11 moves and 13 schools, family separation and adjustments to many new places. Now as a spouse to a retired military veteran and mother of a current soldier stationed overseas, I continue to experience the stress of family separations, deployments and the effects on young children.

One of the toughest issues for the military child is adjustment to a new life. This not only includes learning a new city and school system, but developing new connections through new friends and activities. Military families know their time in any given location is limited but the need to get involved is still vitally important. Military families also know change is hard, especially for our children and is important that parents accept their child’s sense of loss and worries while at the same time providing support, encouragement and resources.

Deployments are also a tough adjustment for the military child. Changes in behaviors, both internal and external, and school performance are indicators of sadness and worry in the child. The child demonstrates difficulty in coping with the separation and worries about the deployed parent.

Residing in a military town, I have had the privilege of working with the military child my entire career. I work one-on-one with military children who are experiencing anxiety or fear from the number of uncontrollable changes in their lives. For these young children, I use Child Centered Play Therapy, which allows the child to talk or vent in a safe, nonthreatening environment. I also reinforce appropriate, positive coping behaviors while improving their self esteem.