For my military kids,     

We move to our 5th duty station in about 8 weeks. It will be the first duty station where we will have two school aged children. Our son will be starting Kindergarten and mydaughter, PreK. I am well aware this will be the first duty station where they will ‘get it.’ This will be the first duty station where they will understand what it means to have to say goodbye to best friends. They will know the difference between daddy’s ‘big work trip’ and ‘little work trip,   and they will understand what it    means when we have to tell them we’re moving and starting over. Again. I am well aware it will be at this duty station where they understand the badges they earn as military kids.

There are a few things I want them to know:

*I want them to know that it’s OK to cry. They did not sign up for this lifestyle. When my husband decided to become a Marine Corps officer we discussed it long and hard.

Our children were not born yet and therefore did not get a say in the matter. Military life is an emotional journey for adults and even more so for the children. I want them to know that it’s OK to cry. It’s OK to be angry and it’s OK to be confused sometimes.

*I want them to bloom where they are planted. Our children will have roots all over the United States by the time they are 18. My 5 year old has already lived in 4 states. I want them to shine their light wherever they go. I want them to share their toys with the new neighbors next door and to be open and kind to different people they meet. I want them to invite the new kid to eat lunch at their table. I want their sweet personalities to shine bright wherever we may call home.

 *I want them to know Daddy loves them. Daddy may miss birthdays and soccer games or other important events.  Skype dates may replace Friday night movie dates. I want them to always know it changes nothing in his love for them. I want them to know it will make those birthday parties he is at that much sweeter. I promise.

* I want them to know that while Daddy is one of the few and proud as a Marine, THEY are also one of the few and proud. I never want them to doubt for a minute how awesome they are and how proud we are of them. I want them to know that the club they are in is very small and tight knit. The friends they make at Camp Lejeune in NC might just be in their class at Camp Pendleton in San Diego. They belong to a small circle of strong and awesome kiddos. I want them to follow the creed that we adults have to follow with this lifestyle; it is not goodbye only see you later.

*I want them to know that it’s worth it. This journey may have hard and rocky times but boy, does it come with big rewards and special memories too. Military kids get to, not only see our country and the world, but they get to build roots there and experience it first hand as the locals do. They get to make friends with people from every different background and they will hold a very tight bond with them; a bond few in the civilian world will understand. They get to live 5 minutes from beautiful beaches one year and beautiful mountains the next.

They get to experience the feeling of true love when they see their daddy step off that bus and into their arms after being gone for months and sometimes a year at a time.

Most people don’t get to experience that kind of pure and genuine joy in their lifetime. I want them to know that it’s a moment they will never forget. And neither will their daddy.

This month is the month of the military child. If you see a child of a service member give them a high five and tell them that they’re doing a good job. Tell them that they are awesome, because they are. Tell them that they are the bravest people you know, because they are.

-Bailey

see more from Bailey at:

www.thefloresgarden.blogspot.com