Young Children in Military Families

Abstract

Young children in military families face some distinctive family supports and risks due to one or more parents’ military service. These features of military life offer unique opportunities to promote resilience or create stress for young children. Repeated parental absence and risk of a parent’s injury or death are central challenges in military families and can create chronic disruptions in parent-child relationships. These early family experiences can affect the development of secure and healthy attachment relationships and, in turn school readiness. The purpose of this chapter is to convey typical and extraordinary family and community contexts that influence the development and school readiness of young military-connected children in the United States. Early childhood professionals can play important roles in the lives of young military children. This includes becoming an important and observant caregiver, creating a safe and supportive environment for a child to explore and learn, and becoming a skilled communicator and advocate. Additional recommendations and implications are provided for early childhood teachers and related professionals who work with children living in military families.