Thinking of who I admire the most in my family when it comes to adjusting and learning how to find new roads during our military journey usually takes me right to my husband. He is the soldier after all. Yet this time, I actually thought of my son – The Teenager. He had no real say in the paths he was placed on as a military child yet somehow he was still able to discover that finding new roads doesn’t mean your destination changes but instead that the journey becomes a bit more interesting.
New Experiences
My son is not the typical military child – he wasn’t born into this lifestyle. I married my husband when my son was nearly 5 and we did not become truly active until he turned 10. Prior to that my husband was serving as a Reserve and National Guard. So although we new we were a military family we had never experienced the changes it can have upon your life.
Then life happened and like many soldiers my husband made the decision to re-enlist for active duty and with that came a life we had never known before. We moved to North Carolina when my son was 10 and he started a brand new Middle School in a brand new state. We were from New York and although I love my southern home it is a big change from that of a city like The Bronx.
Born and raised there my son was used to city blocks, buildings and the general hustle of a city. So when we arrived in North Carolina to the crickets singing their songs at night and trips down the road taking nearly an hour he was a bit out of place. I saw it in his face, his change of personality and his loss of interest in things he normally loved. As his mother I tried my best to tell him he would adjust, things would get better – all the things we are supposed to say when our children are discouraged.
The Journey Begins
Yet his changes weren’t done. Not even a year later we were given orders for Hawaii. Yup Hawaii. To my son (and honestly to me too) it felt like we were being asked to move a world away! He was just starting to find his place, new friends and who he was in North Carolina simply to be asked to leave it all. He was strong. He put on the brave face and we made those flights together – me 8 months pregnant, his 9 month old sister and him – nearly 11 but feeling like he had to be so much older.
As we made our journey, I reassured him once again that things would be okay. He would make yet another set of friends, he would learn the city and we would find our way. I know even as I said it he was finding it hard to believe. Yet it was true. We found new friends who became like family, he learned to love his Aloha home and he even began to participate in the thing he loved the most – band. Things were becoming normal again.
That is until we learned that Daddy was going to deploy. Deploy! We had heard the word so many times but somehow thought we would be spared it’s impact. My husband had deployed twice before our marriage but for me and my children this was our first. We had no idea what to expect or how to prepare. All we had was each other.
Finding New Roads
During the deployment we returned to North Carolina where my son reconnected with old friends and found his support system within his band family. He was thriving and I was so proud to see that he had found a new road to reach his destination in life despite the many detours we seemed to take to get there.
After my husband returned we moved back to Hawaii to complete his station there and once again my son found his way. I realized he had discovered that if he found something he liked loved he could pursue it wherever this military journey took us and still hold on to that piece of himself. For him it was music and band.
When we finally returned to our North Carolina home for the final time he was a Senior in High School and he joined marching band. Once he graduated he was blessed to receive a scholarship to his dream school where he pursued a Degree in Music.
There are times as a Military Child that discouragement and fear can nearly overtake them because of the many changes they are put through in sometimes very short amounts of time. Still with a strong support system, encouragement and determination they – like my son – can learn that finding new roads isn’t always a bad thing because it can help make the journey a bit more interesting than you can imagine.
The Importance of Support
#ChevySalutes knows the importance of support for military families which is why they are making the amazing effort to show their support to those who have served. Already employing nearly 5000 Veterans and close to 45000 Retirees, GM has gone even through the GM Service Technical College which works towards initiatives to employ returning service members.
In July 2014, GM established the Shifting Gears Automotive Technician Training Program to provide eligible service members with the training they need to pursue careers as GM dealership service technicians upon their return to civilian life.
Join us Wednesday, May 27th at 9pm EST as we party away on Twitter discussing supporting our military as they set out finding new roads after military service. There will be some amazing prizes and trust me you want to be there!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Chevrolet via MSB New Media. The opinions and text are all mine.
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39 thoughts on “A Military Child’s Journey To Finding New Roads”
Those are some big moves! Wow! My husband is RCMP and we are about to go to a very remote little island with a once a week 8 hour ferry ride to get off! AHHHH! Our kids are young, they are homeschooled, this is the time to do it when they won't notice it as much but it doesn't stop it being hard. It is hard to leave family, to go somewhere completely new, "start over". Your son seems like a well-rounded young man and honestly, I think that although it is hard, with support and encouragement and the right friends (and helping them find and pursue the thing that gives them confidence and something to hold on to) they are stronger for it. Thanks for linking up at Favorite things Friday! Next time add a link back or button, I'd love to feature you on my blog and social media 🙂 Hope to see you again this week!
Wow an 8 hour ferry ride! Kudos to you and your family. That’s amazing. Thank you, I am so proud of how well he has adjusted to everything and grown from it all. Thanks for the amazing party and for being such a great host! See you soon… 🙂
So nice he can find his way, and music has always been my go to as a kid.
I think we don't appreciate military families enough– thank you all!!!
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Yes, I am so happy he has adjusted well. Thank you so much for the encouragement and for coming by.
I love this! My husband is ex-military and now a contractor supporting the military. We have watched so many people come and go, and my children have had to learn to say 'goodbye' more often than I'd like. But holding on to that 'something' that grounds you and keeps you home, no matter where you are, is great! Sounds like you have an amazing son! =)
Thanks for sharing and linking up at 'Favorite Things Friday' with Hip Homeschooling and Simply Rachel!
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The goodbyes are never easy but luckily we have made friends who became family and we are still in contact with them even now. Having that ‘something’ is definitely important and helps with dealing with it all. Thank you so much for coming by and for hosting such a great party 😀
Thank you again for your family's sacrifice and your husband's service. I am glad your son got ot reconnect and find his support system. A great post and cause…going to mark it in my calendar.
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Thanks so much Karen! I appreciate the encouragement and support… see you at the party 🙂
Military families serve right along with the family member who is in service. Although military kids must relocate often and start from scratch, I feel they also gain skills, traits and experiences that others are not exposed to. Some kids I know have really thrived from this, while others have struggled. Glad to hear your son got to attend his dream school and pursue his interests. Very cool!
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So true! It is truly a family dedication and sacrifice. I\’m glad he seems to have a positive result from the life we\’ve had. Thank you so much for the kind words and for coming by 🙂
what a nice story.Thank you for sharing with us.May God bless you family :)You husbend is doing a great job serving the country.
Thanks Brook. Thank you so much and for coming by 🙂
Thanks to your husband for serving our country! This is a great post. I'm glad your son found his way. Sounds like a strong person. Glad I found you on Turn It Up Tuesday. Pinned
Thank You. I\’m glad he has as well. Thanks so much for coming by and joining in on the Turn It Up Tuesday fun!!
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I can definitely relate, I was a military child and served in the Air Force so I've been on both sides of the coin. It can definitely be a tough road but I admire your son and his perseverance, as well as your own! It's not easy being a military family but the support of others plays such a big role in keeping the faith 🙂
God Bless you and your family and thank you and your husband for his service!
Thanks so much!!
He has definitely become a bit more resilient and I love the growth he has had. Thank you and thanks for the encouragement!
How fantastic of your husband to serve his country and for you for supporting him and your family. Living in Ireland I can't relate as our defense forces are only for peace keeping missions as we're neutral so I can't imagine being separated from the ones you love if they go off to fight or having to move around a lot as our country is so small. Great to see life from this perspective.
Thank You! I didn’t realize that your defense forces are only for peace missions. Thanks for teaching me something new today and for coming by 🙂
Being in a military family is hard and it's great that your son still has a good support system. This helps to build up his confidence and esteem to achieve his dreams and pursue his interest in Music. He will become an inspiration someday for others who feel the same.
It is but it has it\’s good sides like giving us all the chance to learn how strong we can be as a family and individuals. It truly helped him and his confidence and esteem are greater than I think they would have been otherwise. Thanks so much for your encouragement and for coming by 🙂
This is so touching to hear. I'm glad he was able to find something that he could take with him wherever he went in life. Sounds like you've raised a smart man.
Thank you Michele. I am glad too…thanks so much 🙂
I am totally and utterly in awe of you wonderful military families who constantly make sacrifices to serve our country. I have taught many military kids and it is always hard to see them go, but I know that they have great role models and that they will go on to do great things. Much love to you and your patriotic family! Thank you every single day for all that you do.
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No awe needed. I am just like anyone else. It just forces you to discover strength and confidence you may not have thought you had. Thank you so much and thanks for coming by 😀
Nice post. My kids are also military kids.
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Thanks so much. They are definitely a great group of kids – strong 🙂
I think it's great that he discovered music and was able to use his love of being in band to help cope with all the moves as well as to connect with his peers. Helping our children transform their nervous energy and fear into a positive and productive energy doing something they love is a great way to help our children cope with changes whether big or small!
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Yes, he loved music but when he realized it was something he could continue at any school it truly became his strength and source on consistency. I am so glad he has it.
Beautifully written article! I am so happy that throughout having to experience moving, your son was able to discover his passion for making music! #ChevySalutes sounds like a great campaign for a very great cause. Thanks for sharing.
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Thanks so much Carrie! I am too. It is important for them to find something that makes them feel secure like an activity or interest. #ChevySalutes truly goes above and beyond to help give that support to military members and their families.
It is not easy to make changes like that so often, but I agree finding something you love to do no matter where you are is truly helpful in enjoying the change of locations. I'm not from a military family, but we moved a lot when I was little. I simply got really close to my siblings and eventually I got into writing.
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It isn\’t Felecia, but having each other and interests that keep us connected to who we are no matter where we are is really no important. Writing definitely helps 🙂
Thank you for sharing this powerful post! New roads do lead to new friends. I am sure it is very hard to move and transition so much as a child. The entire experience though is powerful when you look at it from the outside. Military families do so much for our country. Not just the one who is serving. I am so thankful for all. I will pass on the twitter party info my to military friends!
Thank you so much for coming by and giving support! It can be really hard but I am thankful that he has come through it on the better side. Thank you so much!
I grew up an Air Force child and I remember after I graduated how weird the “normal world was”. It was bizarre not to live inside of a big fence! We went to a base with my kids and they thought it was so weird that we had to have our ids checked. It’s amazing how much you can adjust growing up to moving so much!
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Yes – the normal world – even as an adult transitioning into the normal world can be so odd. I still prefer my military ID to anything else… LOL
I had a very similar experience as you Jennifer.
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Bless your sweet family!! Oh my goodness first off thank you to your husband for serving our country! Second off I love seeing this perspective from you on your son handling all this change. I have never thought of some of the things that you mentioned before and my eyes were definitely opened in this post.
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Thank you so much Morgan! I am so glad I could offer you a bit of a different insight into our lives. It is definitely a unique one 🙂