“Most military families will relocate several times during the course of a military career. This frequent uprooting can have devastating effects on the development of a child,” Examiner.com reports. Luckily, there are several ways parents can ease these transitions. If you are looking for military homes for sale and you are a parent, here are some things you may want to consider:
Can You Do Research Before The Move?
Thanks to the internet, your answer should be — overwhelmingly — yes. The internet is a great resource for modern military families. Before sending your child to a particular school, for example, do your research. Try to avoid significant gaps in your child’s education, for example. Whenever possible, choose schools that will pick up on the same subjects — or choose programs that are as similar as possible.
“I realized there isn’t a lot of research on the academic performance or how these pressures impact the academic performance of military kids,” education reporter Ana Tintocalis tells PBS. Although there is still some room for improvement here, do not make matters worse. Look into prospective schools and ask any questions before enrolling your child in a new school. If there is limited information online, ask other military families or local realtors for some advice and insights.
Are There Other Military Families You Can Talk To?
Fortunately, homes for military (or homes for relocation) often help build a community of sorts. Talk to other military parents to help support your children! Also, arranging play dates for younger children or youth groups for military kids who are slightly older is often resourceful and productive. When dealing with military relocation, PBS host Maureen Cavanaugh recommends asking, “Is there any place where these military kids can get together and talk among themselves and, you know, talk about the problems that they face with the only people who really understand, the kids who are going through it themselves?”
Help make military moves easier for children. First and foremost, go online or ask local realtors about prospective schools and educational programs. Search for military housing or communities with other military kids whenever possible. See this link for more.
