April is a special time of recognition and celebration for some of the most resilient and adaptable young individuals in our society—military children. Every year, the Month of the Military Child acknowledges the unique challenges faced by these children and celebrates their strength, perseverance, and unwavering support for their families who serve.
This struggle is not unique to modern military families; it is a hardship that has persisted through generations. Roseanna Rolph’s book, Dear Mr Snippet, offers a deeply personal and historical perspective on the impact of military service on families. Featuring real WWII letters between a soldier and his family, the book provides a poignant glimpse into the struggles, love, and resilience of those left behind. These historical accounts mirror the challenges that military children face today—coping with separation, uncertainty, and the emotional weight of a loved one’s service.
Roseanna says:
“Unfortunately, life has a habit of throwing curveballs. However much we plan or how settled we are, unexpected events and issues challenge us to adjust, reconcile and grow resilience. We do this throughout our lives, with the help and support of those closest to us.
But imagine being a young child and part of your support network, a close member of your family, is absent for months at a time. You are only able to have contact with them through limited emails and phone calls, and in some cases, this is restricted to a format of 120 words a week for all the family to share news and love, and sometimes only being facilitated one-way. This is what families who have loved ones serving on Vanguard Class submarines endure.
Submarines often operate in radio silence for extended periods, meaning direct communication with the outside world, including family, is severely reduced. Internet capabilities are only available when the submarine is at the surface and whilst emails and phone calls are sometimes available, they are generally limited and depend on the submarine’s tactical situation and location. This is one example of what life is like for military children when they have a parent deployed or stationed away from them.
Military children face additional unique challenges due to their parents’ service, including frequent relocations and changes in schools which can lead to disrupted education, short-term friendships and lack of a stable sense of belonging. They may not understand why their parent is gone or how long it will be until they return which can also result in feelings of loneliness, confusion or anxiety.
This means that parents often have the difficult decision as to whether they stay in one place possibly causing longer periods of separation or take the family to follow those in service. The latter means regular moves with military children leaving behind friends, teachers and familiar surroundings, experiencing a sense of loss and having to start all over again. Understandably this can impact upon their academic attainment with just over half (51%) of military families worrying about the impact of service life on their children.
However, it is important to remember that the military lifestyle can be a great adventure that provides opportunities for growth, resilience and personal development. Military children often have a deep respect for service members, understanding the sacrifices made. They have opportunities to attend schools in different parts of the world and their experiences may also help them to develop strong coping mechanisms and emotional intelligence, making them independent and self-sufficient.
There are an estimated 124,500 children from armed forces families (aged 0-17) in the UK. Every April they are celebrated in the annual international event of the Month of the Military Child. The campaign aims to highlight and raise awareness about the challenges they face, recognise the contributions of military children and their families and the impact upon their education and wellbeing. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) uses this time to highlight Service children and remind people of the positive impact they make in their schools and communities.
The wonderful charity Little Troopers also loves to take this time to celebrate all the military children out there! They have packed a lot of events into this April which include online workshops and downloadable activities, so that wherever you live, you can get involved in the celebrations and learn more about what it means to be a military child. The website has links to activities that can be used at school and home, and forthcoming fundraising events to celebrate the Month of the Military Child.
The publication of Dear Mr Snippet is timed to coincide with this and to celebrate my working collaboration with the charity it has own pages at the back of the book that detail and champions their mission to be ‘A small charity with a big heart doing the best for all the children of our British Armed Forces’.
If you would like to support Little Troopers or learn more about the charity’s work, please visit www.littletroopers.net.”
