supporting military-connected children through transitions 1
TRANSCRIPT
Supporting Military-Connected Children Through Transitions
www.MilitaryChild.org1
Learning Outcomes Participants will….
www.MilitaryChild.org
• Learn facts and information about the military child and military culture
• Recognize and address the social, emotional and academic issues associated with transitions of the military-connected child
• Develop a list of resources to assist the military child/family in the school setting
frequent moves
deployments/separations
reintegration
profoundly changed parents
www.MilitaryChild.org
•All volunteer force since 1973 (40 years)
•About 1.4 million service members on active duty•Army•Navy•Marine Corps•Coast Guard•Air Force
•About 1.4 million service members in National Guard/ Reserve Forces
•Army National Guard (states)•Air National Guard (states)•Army Reserves•Navy Reserves•Marine Corps Reserves•Air Force Reserves•Coast Guard Reserves
Military Facts & Numbers
Military Facts & Numbers
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Entire military = <1% of entire US population
<25% of 17-24 yr olds meet standards to enter(medical, educational, legal)
All branches50% are below age 2585% maleRural, less affluentEthnic minority backgrounds over-representedHigh school degree or equivalent70% have at least some college creditAbout half are married10% are dual-military marriagesMarry younger than non-military counterparts
Generally true situations
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•Active duty service members & their families•Live on or near a military base•More immersed in military culture•More likely to have access to and utilize military support systems
•Health care•Family support centers
•Confounding factors:•Size of the military installation•Size of the surrounding community
Confounding Factors
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•Size of the military installation•Ft Huachuca, Arizona –small community, 1 high school, 90% military connection in most neighborhoods
•Size of the surrounding community•Ft Belvoir, Virginia – multiple opportunities in choices of where to live, which schools to attend – military presence is more dispersed.
Generally true situations
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•National Guard & Reserve members & their families
•Live and work in communities across the country•Less likely to have ready access to military-specific support mechanisms•Families may be less likely to feel connected to the military culture – but depends on career path prior to Guard/ Reserve service
•“Daddy’s Hobby”
Can you identify the military connected children in your
school?
How?
www.MilitaryChild.org
•Four million children currently connected with the US military
•Half of them have one or more parents on active duty
•Rest have parents who are veterans of the last decade’s wars
•Most are very young; only one in five is a teenager
Who Are the Military Children?(from Promoting the Resilience of Military Children Through Effective Programs, Center for Naval Analysis, Nov 2012)
www.MilitaryChild.org
•37% are under age of 6
•35% are ages 6-12
•Military children live in nearly every zip code in the country
•Usually attend public schools in civilian communities
•May live with grandparents during periods of parental deployment
•Rely on older siblings and other extended family for care
Who Are the Military Children? (cont)
www.MilitaryChild.org
•A child who cares deeply and worries about someone in the military who could be Active Duty, National Guard, Reserve, Retired, or a Veteran of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard
•Parent
•Sibling
•Extended Family (Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins)
•Step-parents
•Close family friend
•Teachers or coaches (Think about the possibility of deployment for a star coach or the ONLY AP Calculus teacher in a high school.)
What makes someone a military connected child?
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Distribution of Military-Connected Children by Type of School Environment
Please write on your index card:
www.MilitaryChild.org
• Best friend• Favorite activity• Local restaurant• Mentor
Grief
How do you define grief?
Grief:In common terms, it is a heartfeltlonging for what we had before and is no longer….
“There is no short,orderly or pain-free waythrough grief”
Military Widow Joanne M. Steen
Helping Children Grieve & GrowA Guide For Those Who CareBy Donna O’Toole with Jerre Cory
..we have written a CAN-DO booklet for you. When a child is grieving there is much you can do to provide the conditions that will promote growth.
To help a child grieve and grow is a great undertaking. Thanks for being there.
A loss can be of a person, a place, an animal, an object, or even a dream or a hope.6 categories of childhood loss:1.Relationship loss2.Loss of objects that give comfort & connection3.Loss of a secure, familiar environment4.Loss of self5.Loss of skills, abilities and competencies6.Loss of familiar habits and routine
What can you do now?Be there.Acknowledge the loss by recognizing
and naming it
To identify a child’s loss is a way to show that the child’s experience is important and real.
Primary lossSecondary loss
Think of Developmental Stages using a camera lens.
Children may not know the language of death, grief, and loss.
Use children’s literature to give them context.
When Dinosaurs Die
Physical reactions
Mental reactions
Spiritual reactions
Behavioral & social reactions
Feelings – emotional reactions
The Emotional Cycles of Deployment7 stage cycle
Published in 2006
Anticipation of Departure
•Alternately feel denial and anticipation of loss•Tempers may flare•Attempt to take care of all the items on a Family pre-deployment checklist•Striving to make time for "memorable" moments
Stage 1 may begin again before a couple or Family has time to renegotiate a shared vision of who they are after the changes from the last deployment
Detachment and Withdrawal
•Service members become more psychologically prepared for deployment, focused on mission/unit •May create emotional distance within the marriage •Sadness and anger occur as couples attempt to protect themselves from the hurt of separation
As this stage happens more often and more frequently, marital problems may escalate. When a husband or wife must repeatedly create emotional "distance", they may gradually shut down their emotions. It may seem easier to just feel "numb" rather than sad. This lack of emotional connection with a spouse can lead to difficulties in a marriage. How might this impact the child?
Emotional Disorganization
•With back to back deployments, you might think that this stage of adjusting to new responsibilities and being alone would get easier •Although a military spouse may be familiar with the routine, (s)he may also be experiencing "burn-out" and fatigue from the last deployment•Many feel overwhelmed at starting this stage again
Recovery and Stabilization
•Here, spouses realize they are fundamentally resilient and able to cope with the deployment.•They develop increased confidence and a positive outlook. •With back to back deployments, spouses may find it hard to muster the emotional strength required•Many resources are available to provide needed support
Anticipation of Return
•This is generally a happy and hectic time spent preparing for the return of the service member•Spouses, children and parents of the service member need to talk about realistic plans and expectations for the return and reunion
Return Adjustment and Renegotiation
•Couples and Families must reset expectations and renegotiate roles•Open communication is key to successful adjustment and renegotiation•Families must be prepared to deal with the effects of combat stress on the returning service member
•Troops with combat stress are often irritable, guarded, and want to be alone •Some may use increased alcohol or drugs in an attempt to "numb" the emotional pain they experience
•Attempts at renegotiation may result in increasing marital arguments
Reintegration and Stabilization
•Couple and Family stabilize their relationships anew•Presence of combat stress can severely disrupt the stabilization process•Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move immediately upon the return of the service member complicates reintegration•Back to back deployments create stress as Families stabilize only to begin the deployment cycle again
This stage can take up to 6 months, which may overlap with restarting stage 1
Practical Application•Knowing the stage of deployment and deployment history can provide valuable information on feelings, emotions and behaviors in the school or sports setting•Each child will have a unique deployment situation
•Cannot make assumptions about deployment experiences or timelines based on others or personal experiences•Obtain and maintain a detailed and documented timeline •Anticipate what the child may be about to experience
•When is “testing” in relationship to the cycles of deployment
•SAT, ACT, College applications•AP end of course testing•National Standards testing
The emotions you experience during the cycles of deployment are a normal reaction to an abnormal situation unique to the military.
Let students hear you say:
Positive Effects of Deployment
Both active duty and Reserve component spouses report positive changes in their children due to deployments.
(ADSS 2008; RCSS 2008)
Active duty:Closeness of family members
Pride in having a military parent
Increased level of responsibility
Reserve Component:
Pride in having a military parent
Closeness of family members
Increased level of responsibility
Social Support Supportive social relationships are a resilience factor critical
to healthy family coping (Spera, 2008; Wiens & Boss, 2006)
Spouses who report more social support also report less stress. (ADSS 2006)
Children and adolescents who feel supported by others cope better.
(Perkins & Borden, 2003)
Sense of community is predicted by unit support and informal community support. (Bourg & Segal, 1999;Bowen et al., 2000; Burrell et al., 2003; Rohall & Martin)
National Guard and Reserve families are widely dispersed and typically do not have access to the same level of informal community support
(Carroll et al., 2008; Faber et al., 2008; Wisher & Freeman, 2006)Although 70% of Reserve component spouses report that
support from their military community is important when coping with deployments.
(RCSS 2008)
CommunicationConsistent and regular communication of Service
member to family while on deployment is critical to sense of connection and family resiliency
(Bell et al., 1999; Wiens & Boss, 2006)
91% Spouses report communication with a deployed parent an important factor in their child coping with deployment.
(ADSS 2008; RCSS 2008)
Problems communicating with family while on deployment predicts greater stress for the Service member and his/her family.
(Ender, 1995)
70% of active duty and 69% of Reserve component spouses report having technical problems with communication during deployment.
(ADSS 2008; RCSS 2008)
Take Away Messages from Research
• There are signs of increasing stress on spouses and children relative to length of deployment, safety, number of deployments.
• Potential for greater marital stress = interventions which target marital strengths and enhancement BEFORE the service member returns
• Target Strengths of families and individuals to develop and support their resiliency and well-being
• Target Positive effects to build strength and continued resiliency
The Profoundly Changed Parent
Visible and Invisible Injuries
PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder)
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury)
Traumatic Brain InjuryNeurologic injury
Possible physical, cognitive, behavioral, and emotional symptoms
Range MildModerateSeverePenetrating
Battlemind Training System Office
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI)Type of concussionResults from a “blow to the head”Does NOT result in obvious physical injuryDon’t have to be knocked out to have a mTBIMay be dazed, confused, had your “bell rung”If knocked out, for less than 30 minBattlemind Training System Office
Symptoms of mTBIHeadacheConfusionDizzinessBlurred vision or tired eyesRinging in the earsChange in ability to smell or tasteSensitivity to sound or lightNausea/vomitingIrritability (possibly anger or aggression)FatigueChange in sleep patternsMood changesTrouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinkingBattlemind Training System Office
Invisible InjuriesHardest for children to understand
Why does a parent seem angry or sad? Why does he forget things or just seem “out of it”?
Help the child understand an injury may change the way a parent feels, talks, and acts.
Validate the child’s confusion, and make sure that he knows he is not to blame.Sesameworkshop.org/tlc
Physical Symptoms of PTSD
Fatigue and/or weaknessChest painPounding heartBreathing difficultySleep problems (insomnia or nightmares)Muscle tremors or twitchesGrinding of teethProfuse sweatingHeadachesDiarrhea/Intestinal upsets
Battlemind Training System Office – List not all inclusive
Behavioral Symptoms of PTSD
WithdrawalPacing & RestlessnessEmotional outburstsAnti-social actsSuspicion & ParanoiaInability to restLoss of interest in hobbiesAlcohol consumptionSubstance abuseBattlemind Training System Office – List not all inclusive
Emotional Symptoms of PTSDAnxiety or panicGuiltFearDenialIrritabilityDepressionIntense angerAgitationApprehensionIsolating & withdrawing from othersBattlemind Training System Office – List not all inclusive
Create a Personalized Stress Management Plan
http://www.fosteringresilience.com/
about.php
Dealing with Stress
www.MilitaryChild.org
STRESS
You feel
awful
Positive Coping
Strategies
Negative Coping
Strategies
You feel better for a long time
You feel better for a short time
From Building Resilience in Children and Teens by Kenneth Ginsburg
Creating Your Personal Stress-Management Plan
Following is a 10-point plan to help you manage stress.Part 1: Tackling the Problem
Point 1: Identify and Then Address the ProblemPoint 2: Avoid stress when possiblePoint 3: Let some things go
Part 2: Taking Care of My BodyPoint 4: The Power of ExercisePoint 5: Active Relaxation.Point 6: Eat well.Point 7: Sleep well.
Part 3: Dealing with EmotionsPoint 8: Take instant vacationsPoint 9: Release emotional tension.
Part 4: Helping a little can make your world better . . . and help you feel better
Point 10: Contribute.
Whole Person Wheel
Who I Am
SpiritualInner strength
Connection withGod, nature
PurposeEm
otion
al
Resp
ond
vs. r
eact
Positi
ve fe
elin
gs
Expr
essiv
e
Relati
onal
Love
for o
ther
s
Frien
dshi
psSo
cial
Physical
Healthy body
Self-control
Active
IntellectualIm
aginativeLearning
Thoughtful
LogisticalDaily responsibilitiesTime management
Priorities
1. Fill or outline to the first circle if you have goals in this sector.
2. Fill or outline to the second circle if you address your goals daily.
3. Fill or outline to the third circle if you consistently accomplish your goals.
Instructions to complete the Whole Person Wheel
Things You Can Do To Promote Well-Being and Understanding
Host a “hero day” highlighting service members, police, firefighters, nurses, and other people whose job is to help others.
Create a board in your classroom, office, locker room, or house of worship recognizing service members.
Invite the military parent to your organization for Veterans Day or Memorial Day to talk about the Armed Forces.
Display the member’s Service symbol in your office or on the child’s classroom door to show students having a parent in the military.
Things You Can Do To Promote Well-Being and Understanding
• Celebrate military-themed months: •April: Month of the Military Child•May: National Military Appreciation Month•November: Military Family Month•Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day
• Talk about personal strengths and how to use them during a big change in their life.
• Find out the dates of the parent’s departure, R&R, and return from deployment.
• Understand that children whose parent has poorer mental health may experience more emotional difficulties and more challenges with academic engagement
Things You Can Do To Promote Well-Being and Understanding
• Reserve slots in classes, athletics, and clubs for military students who arrive later in the year
• Help children understand that they’re not alone in their experiences - foreign service workers, missionaries, truck drivers, airline pilots all have family separations or frequent moves
• Educate parents on basic child development: what information is age-appropriate and what a normal stress reaction is
MCEC’s Quick Checklist for School MovesFrom the Parent/Guardian
Student’s birth certificateStudent’s Social Security NumberStudent’s Health Record (immunizations, etc)Legal documents as neededProof of residency/Military orders
School InformationAddress, phone numbers, other contact
informationCourse description book/grading scale (for 6th
grade & above)Copy of the Cover and Title page of each
TextbookSchool Profile/HandbookSchool web page (URL)
MCEC’s Quick Checklist for School Moves
Special Programs Records as AppropriateIndividual Education Plan (IEP)/Individual
Accommodation Plan (504)/Gifted Program description
English as a Second language (ESL) or Bilingual Education
At-risk or other Action Plans for Classroom ModificationsOther Documents & Examples
Writing samples & other work examplesActivities records (co/extracurricular)Community Service or Service LearningAcademic Recognitions & Competition
Participation
Where to get Math Help?
Parents & students in military families can get help from a qualified, professional math tutor 24/7 for free with Tutor.com for US Military Families. The program is funded by the Department of Defense.
Go to www.tutor.com/military to find out if your family is eligible for free access.
Resources
http://www.aap.org/sections/uniformedservices/deployment/
videos.html
Military YouthCoping with Separation: When Family Members
Deploy
Mr. Poe & Friends Discuss Family Reunion After Deployment
Sesame Street
57
Talk, Listen, Connect
DeploymentsHomecomingsChangesWhen Families Grieve
www.sesamestreetfamilyconnections.org
The Future of Children
58
JournalsRECENT VOLUME
Military Children and Families Volume 23 Number 2 Fall 2013
Read the full Journal online
Full Journal (2.5 MB)
Executive Summary (118.9 kB)
Policy Brief (606.1 kB)
http://futureofchildren.org/futureofchildren/publications/journals/
More Resources
59
Military Child Initiative, Johns Hopkins Universitywww.jhsph.edu/mci/
Military Family Research Institutewww.cfs.purdue.edu.mfri/
More Resources
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National Military Family Association:www.nmfa.org
Operation: Military Kids:www.operationmilitarykids.org
More Resources
61
The Dougy Center:www.dougy.org
Zero to Three:www.zerotothree.org
More Resources
62
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stresswww.CSTSonline.org
Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health & Traumatic Brain Injurywww.dcoe.health.mil
More Resources
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American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatryhttp://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/DISASTER.HTM
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has an entire section dedicated to medical traumatization of children, including a toolkit for healthcare providers.http://www.nctsn.org/nccts/nav.do?pid=typ_mt
Books:
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Facing Change: Falling Apart & Coming Together Again in the Teen Years by Donna O’Toole (a book about loss and change for teens)
25 Things to Do When Grandpa Passes Away, Mom and Dad get Divorced or the Dog Dies by Laurie Kanyer (activities to help children suffering loss or change)
More Books:
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My Story: Blogs by Four Military Teens by Michelle Sherman & DeAnn Sherman
Finding my Way: A Teen’s Guide to Living with a Parent who has Experienced Trauma by Michelle Sherman & DeAnn Sherman
Helping Children Grieve & Grow: A Guide for Those who Care by Donna O’Toole
Reflection…3,2,1
www.MilitaryChild.org
• 3 new ideas I learned• 2 questions I still have• 1 action I will take as a result of this day