2025/Scott-31402

Do you have parents that are or previously were in the military? If not, then you will learn a lot in this personal narrative essay about my life as a military child in the Air Force. I have been a military child my whole life – over 13 years. My mother is in the military, and she is a doctor. Her job is to deliver babies and take care of women. In this essay, I will explain my experience with the benefits/advantages and the challenges/disadvantages of being a military child.

There are a lot of benefits of being a military child. I get to move all around the world and travel more than most other people in the world. I get to discover many different cultures and try many different kinds of food. We have been stationed in the US, Germany, and Japan, but we have visited 28 countries! My mom has a good, stable job, so we don’t have to worry about money. I have lived a privileged childhood, getting most things that I want. But best of all, I have met many different people and have been to many different schools.

But sadly, there are also many challenges or disadvantages of being part of a military family. When we were sent overseas most recently, we had to leave one of our dogs behind. She has too much energy for a small house and yard, especially during a 6-month quarantine. Every time we move, we also leave our family members behind. But the one that affects me the most is the fact that I move right about the time when I have a good group of friends. Then, we leave, and I might never see them again.

You might think that there are more disadvantages than advantages, but you would be wrong. Even though sometimes it sucks because you left friends or family or you miss your pet, think of what your mom or dad does for our country! My mom is in the military. She is a doctor, and sometimes we only see her a couple times a week. Some kids don’t see their parents for months, because they are sent to a different country for deployment or training. What helps me, though, is that I think of all the people that don’t have jobs, don’t have a family who cares about them, don’t have pets that they love, and don’t have friends around the world. I also think about what my mom is doing. She is serving our country and saving people’s lives every day.

In conclusion, I believe that being a military child helps build character. I have experienced a lot more things in 13+ years than some people do in their whole life! I use all these lessons to create a growth mindset. My advice to other military children is that it’s hard, but you can get through it. When you get older, you will have the best stories to tell your children and grandchildren. Remember that whatever you're going through, other people have made it through worse things. That's my experience with being a military child.