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My Very Exciting, Sorta Scary, Big Move
So you have orders. Your military-family is once again PCSing. The children have been told and there is excitement, worry, dare I even say some anger? A mixed ball of emotion from your grade-school children. Emotions they can’t quite vocalize. Feelings that are all jumbled up inside. Tension that you can see in their eyes, their shoulders, down to their toes. I know. I have been that child. I recently reached out to Lori Woodring, Ph.D., when I read she put together a workbook for children ages five to eleven titled, “My Very Exciting, Sorta Scary, Big Move“. (Pretty darn perfect title if I do say so myself.) Wow, there…
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New beginnings! Are you ready?
The new school year, a PCS this summer, a new job/employment, a deployment return or departure, a new or revitalized faith, a new workout routine, a wedding, a birth, a health crisis … all can be new beginnings for the military community. So how do you help yourself during new “stuff”? Remember the Old! It gives us strength to remember what helped us in the past. Looking at old pictures is a great way to enjoy old friends, family times, previous assignments, etc. More important though is the support emotionally and physically we get from the routines that we created to cope with the military lifestyle. The new school…
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Let’s Have some Summer Time Fun! Blue Star Museums and So Much More! DoD Blogger Roundtable
Military family on a nature trail“I feel like I ran through this blog with the enthusiasm of an 8 year old playing baseball or soccer this summer!” What is active living for the military family? It certainly must include activities across the reach of age, interest and new found geographic areas to explore after a PCS. Parenting can be a challenge before, during and after a PCS due to all the stressors impacting the whole family. But a fitness routine can help the whole family work through some of the stress involved in every day military life. A new trail, an old trail; a new workout routine, an old workout…
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Wrapping up Month Of The Military Child: Brat Town Bugle
Today is the last day of Month of the Military Child; but isn’t it something we should celebrate all year long? We highlighted some great resources throughout April on our Facebook page. We shared Tips on Relocation, YMCA’s Operation Kid Comfort Program, and most importantly a reminder that YOU are the ultimate resource for your military child PLUS so much more. (Scroll through Facebook.com/MilitaryAvenue to see them all.) One more resource I want to share is Operation We Are Here‘s Brat Town Bugle ™. The Brat Town Bugle is a wonderful way for your child, children, whole family to showcase what is happening at home. It could be a monthly project to…
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Military Kids Website Also Helps Parents, Educators
Technology has come a long ways since I was a military-brat PCSing around the world in the 80s and 90s. I didn’t have to deal with year long deployments but I remember Dad being gone for six months at a time for training and schooling. Fast forward a ‘few years’ and I watched my husband head off to Iraq with the Ohio Army National Guard. I had a few print pamphlets and a couple of Internet articles I could share with teachers that weren’t accustomed to having military-children in their classroom but there wasn’t much more support then that.I am so glad to see our military families getting the support they need! The Defense Department…
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The Year in Review – 2012
MilitaryAvenue.com has a lot to offer the military family, from local military discounts, to stories of personal experience, and articles from reputable resources like the DoD, USAA, Community and Family Policy and so many more. So what was important to our families this year? Here are the Top 10 Articles on MilitaryAvenue.com from the year 2012: MilitaryAvenue’s Moving Checklist: A move isn’t complete without a checklist! It certainly is less stressful with one. Click on a link below to take you to the appropriate time frame and then skim the other lists to make sure you are on track for a great move. Growing Up in the Military: A few years ago,…
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Military Friends – A Puzzle for Our Civilian Counterparts
Military friends! Sometimes our military lifestyle is a puzzle to our civilian friends and the rest of the nation. We have some opportunities that civilians normally do not receive and we also face challenges and lifestyle issues they may never see. But one thing we have that is “just to die for” is our military friends. We come together from all over the country (and in some cases the world), of all races, ethnic backgrounds, economic and educational levels, different goals and lifestyles and so much more diversity that most Americans ever have the opportunity to experience. I have to admit that this is our (my military spouse, mil brats…
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Take Me Out to the Ball Game! Wordless Wednesday
Join Us byColonel KonWednesday, July 11, 2012Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to PinterestMilitary Life:Col K,fitness,Military Brats,military community,Summer Fun,Youth Activities
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Youth Sports are Important for Parents too!
“As parents, we often think of youth sports as organized events. I think the more important ones, may be the unorganized variety.” Summer time is here and it is, as usual, crazy busy! Throw in a PCS or deployment for you and it is just gets worse. Finding time for all the unit events, saying good bye a million times (or at least a few) to good friends or acquaintances, making friends at your new location, finding time for a vacation, finding a new spouse job – yep, the head starts to spin a bit! But what about the smaller people version? They go through a lot as military brats…
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Help for your PCS Finances!
PCS Post at MilAve_Col_K DrivewayIt is summer PCS season and one third of our military is relocating to a new fun spot in the sun! With a PCS many obligations and military requirements come at a new unit plus a completely new area for some to explore. But first, we have to get there … quite the challenge for many, routine for others, occasionally heart wrenching for military brats, saying good bye to friends, planning to travel, find a new home … screech on chalkboard for our budget sometimes. Need help to work through the finances of a PCS? During an interview with a well known and respected leader in…
