2024/Dylan-

Being a military child has its ups and downs, and it takes some time to get used to. Being a military child means moving around a lot and being in places you’re not used to. This means making new friends, leaving new friends, missing family, and having to adapt to a new environment. I have met a lot of people who have had very difficult times as a military child. I’ve also had a bunch of friends leave, so I’m constantly having to make new friends. The good thing about it is that I get to meet a bunch of new people and get to know them. My friends often move every two to four years. My family will be here for a total of seven years, so I will see a bunch of my closest friends leave. I already had most of my first and closest friends leave back to the states while I'm stuck here. It sucks but I learned to deal with it. Another challenge I have had as a military child is my dad is not around much. My dad gets deployed to other countries, so I don’t get to see him a lot. Communication is difficult, especially when he's on a ship because the ships don’t have service. The amount of time that my dad is gone varies a lot. It could go from just two weeks to six months. When my dad is gone, I take on a lot of responsibilities. I take care of my mom and my sister until my dad comes back. Being a military child has its challenges but comes with a lot of opportunities.