DVIDS – News – Defense public health psychologist offers tips to help children cope with change [Beuzz]

By Army Lt. Col. Melissa Boyd, Registered Clinical Psychologist, Defense Centers for Public Health–Aberdeen
ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — In 1986, then-Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger designated the month of April as “Month of the Military Child.” During this month, national, state and local governments, organizations and agencies, as well as military communities, take time to celebrate the important role that more than 1.6 million military children play in the Armed Forces community. .

Although military children have many unique and exciting experiences, they also often face many challenges as a result of their parents’ service. Some of these challenges may include moving on average every two or three years, changing schools, adjusting to separations during parental deployments and other assignments, and building new support networks.

Due to these frequent changes, military children can often find themselves celebrating special occasions such as holidays, birthdays, graduations, and other milestones away from loved ones. These events not only impact stability, but can also contribute to feelings of stress, restlessness, sadness, worry, and frustration. Other changes that may occur include difficulty concentrating in school, withdrawal from others, differences in eating and sleeping habits, and negative thoughts.

In its 2021 Military Family Lifestyle Survey, Blue Star Families, a military family advocacy organization, found that 17% of active duty respondents reported a child or children receiving [mental] health care. Another 17% of respondents said they would like their children to receive behavioral health care, but currently do not.

Military children often experience adjustment disorders in response to changes in peer relationships, the ability to communicate openly with a parent/caregiver, and engagement in positive social activities. Difficulty adapting to life changes can have a significant impact on a child’s mood, self-esteem, behavior, academic performance, and overall adjustment to a stressor.

Behavioral health intervention strategies that can effectively help military children manage stress include providing healthy outlets for emotions; integrate family, school and social support; and promote healthy stress management and coping skills.

Army Lt. Col. Virgil Rivera, a clinical social worker licensed and certified by the Defense Public Health Centers-Aberdeen Board of Trustees who specializes in working with children and their families, says that t is important for parents to maintain a healthy and active attachment to their children by spending at least 20 minutes a day with them.

“The time can be spent learning about their child’s school day, hearing about their friends, or even playing a game together,” Rivera said.

Rivera acknowledges that sometimes parents are unable to commit this time on a daily basis due to military/work obligations or other family responsibilities; However, it’s important to keep in mind that the quality of time spent together fosters a meaningful parent/child relationship with both short- and long-term benefits.

“If a child knows and feels that their parent is available to them, their experience can also shape their view of how they approach relationships with others and how they see themselves,” Rivera said. “In a way, parenthood is a leadership role where caring behaviors, words, tone, and time are essential to the growth and development of our next generation.”

Military children are known for their strength, dedication and sacrifice. To help build resilience in response to expected and unexpected challenges, it is important to equip military children with stress management strategies and healthy coping skills that can support positive outcomes. Here are some recommended healthy coping strategies:

Healthy coping skills for children

– Maintain routines
– Positive affirmations and inner monologue
– Healthy expression of feelings – art, writing, speaking, laughing, praying, crying
– Relaxation techniques – deep breathing, muscle relaxation, guided imagery
– Physical activity – sports, stretching, yoga
– Mental activities – reading, puzzles, listening to music

Here are some additional resources to help you celebrate Month of the Military Child:

Military Kids Connect offers engaging tools and games. It also helps children, tweens, and teens prepare for the challenges of family transitions. https://militarykidsconnect.health.mil/Caring-for-Our-Youth

The Military Child Month Toolkit lists mental health and wellness tools for military children. https://www.militaryonesource.mil/leaders-service-providers/children-youth-and-teens/month-of-the-military-child-toolkit/

The Military Commission on Raising Children lists 50 ways to celebrate military children in April. https://www.militarychild.org/upload/images/2020 MOMC/2020_Month_of_the_Military_Child.pdf

Sesame Street for Military Families offers downloadable activities and videos for military kids. https://sesamestreetformilitaryfamilys.org/downloadable-pdfs/

Aberdeen Public Health Defense Centers advances Joint Force Health Protection with agile public health enterprise solutions in support of the National Defense Strategy.

NOTE: Mention of any non-Federal entity and/or its products is for informational purposes only and should in no way be construed or construed as a Federal endorsement of such non-Federal entity or its products.