Military Family's Guide to Helping Your Child Adjust to a New School
Posted:
August 02, 2018
Categories:
AmericanFlags.com News

Military Families and DoDEA
There are nearly 1.3 million active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces, many of whom have families with school-aged children. More than half of these children who live in the U.S. attend public schools, often moving between six and nine times before reaching adulthood. The Department of Defense Education Activity, an office under the Secretary of Defense, works to support and provide resources for military families and their children as they move between duty stations, particularly in the arena of educational challenges. This includes everything from assistance in understanding differences in testing and achievement standards between states, to support during a parent’s deployment when a child’s educational performance can deteriorate. Reach out to your DoDEA representative ahead of each move to see what information they can provide about the schools in your area.Talk to Your Child About Their Feelings
Throughout the transition, it is important to talk with your child about how they are feeling. Even if this is your third or fourth move, they may be experiencing anxiety, sadness or other fears regarding relocating to a new state and a new school. They may also have some hesitations about sharing these feelings with you outright, especially if they are older, since they may feel their feelings are silly or unfounded. They could also be having mixed feelings–some fears and some excitement–which they could have difficulty expressing. Keeping the lines of communication open by letting them know you are there for them and interested in hearing how they are doing both before the move and afterward will help them through the transition into a new school environment.Not all Children Are the Same
It is also important to keep in mind that if you have more than one child, they may not all take the news the same way. Some may be more apprehensive or uncertain than others, which could be due to a variety of factors, including age, experience with relocation, how much time prior to the move and where you’re moving to. Very young children may not need as much time to become accustomed to the idea since they may not have developed significant attachments to your current home, whereas your older children likely have closer friendships and activities they will miss. You and your spouse may want to consider sitting down with your children separately to discuss the move to properly address the transition, including things you all can do to get excited about your next duty station.Do Your Research

Enlist Outside Assistance
In some cases, it may feel more overwhelming, or you may not have the time to do all the research on your own. Remember that everyone else on the installation has been in your shoes recently, so there are usually more opportunities than you realize. The military knows that families sacrifice a lot, so they try to put in place resources to assist spouses and children both on and off installations throughout the country. Each military branch has School Liaison Officers (SLO) who support families with information, regardless of whether you elect to put your children in public school or educate them at home. They also assist with other issues unique to military families, including frequent moves, differences in curriculum requirements and expectations between schools and emotional issues that can stem from the temporary or permanent loss of a parent. They can also assist with answering questions regarding transcripts, immunization records, physicals and other health records your child’s future school may require, all of which are particularly critical if you are moving mid-year or don’t have as much time to gather this information.Encourage Extracurricular Activities
