Help Military Kids Cope with Moving and Deployments
Military families often face unique challenges, including frequent moves and deployments. These transitions can be especially difficult for military children, who may struggle with the upheaval and uncertainty that comes with a parent leaving for extended periods of time.
One tool that can help military kids cope with these challenges is a visual calendar. Visual calendars provide a visual representation of the passage of time and can help children understand and anticipate upcoming events, such as a deployment or a parent's return home.
Here are a few ways that visual calendars can support military kids:
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Promote a sense of control: Military kids may feel like their lives are out of their control, especially when a parent is deployed. A visual calendar can help children feel more in control by allowing them to track and anticipate events.
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Facilitate communication: Visual calendars can be a helpful tool for keeping kids informed about their parent's deployment schedule and other important events. They can also be used to communicate with a deployed parent, such as by marking the days until a scheduled video call.
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Provide a sense of structure: Military kids may experience disruptions in their daily routine due to deployments and moves. A visual calendar can provide a sense of structure and predictability by allowing kids to see what activities and events are coming up.
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Encourage positive coping strategies: Visual calendars can be used to track positive coping strategies, such as exercise or time spent with friends. Seeing these activities marked on the calendar can help kids feel a sense of accomplishment and give them something to look forward to.
It's important to involve children in the process of creating their visual calendar. Mighty and Bright's Visual Calendar for Military Kids is designed to be put together with the kids, creating a sense of connection. Putting the calendar together helps kids feel ownership over the calendar and make it more meaningful for them.
In conclusion, visual calendars can be a valuable tool for supporting military kids through the challenges of deployment and transitions. By providing a sense of control, facilitating communication, offering structure, and encouraging positive coping strategies, visual calendars can help military kids navigate the ups and downs of military life with greater ease and resilience.