April is the Month of the Military Child, and we want everyone to take a moment to stop and really think about the youngest people carrying the weight of military life.
“The kids will be alright,” as the saying goes, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t check in on them.
For nearly 40 years, this national observance has recognized the roughly two million children of active-duty, reserve, and National Guard members. Since 1986, the Department of Defense has set April aside for these kids, not because they asked for the spotlight, but because they deserve to be recognized.
Military children move…a lot. Every two to three years, on average, a new set of orders reshuffles everything from schools, to friends, to routines, to the route home from the bus stop. Military children learn to fit in fast and say goodbye faster. They do homework and go to soccer practice while quietly wondering when a deployed parent is coming home. It’s a lot to carry on their tiny shoulders, and most of them carry it without complaint.
We think that’s worth celebrating.
Throughout April, installations, schools, and communities around the country find ways to do just that. “Purple Up!” Day has become one of the most visible traditions. Supporters wear purple to represent all branches of the armed forces, a simple gesture that says: we see you, we’re proud of you, and we’re in this together.
The month also draws attention to the programs that help military kids actually thrive, like tutoring, counseling, and social programs. The goal of these programs is to make sure every military child has a real shot at stability, even when their zip code keeps changing. You can learn more about some of these programs and Month of the Military Child on the DoWEA website.
Celebrating military children also teaches us to recognize the power of family as the foundation of military readiness. When one serves, the whole family serves. Every move, every farewell, every homecoming is made possible through unwavering support, teamwork, and love.
As April turns to May, that circle of gratitude expands. May is National Military Appreciation Month, a time to extend that thank-you to service members, veterans, and military families more broadly. Additionally, on the Friday before Mother’s Day, we celebrate the glue that holds the family together on Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
There’s a particular kind of strength that doesn’t show up in any training manual. It’s the spouse moving the family across the country for the third time in six years. It’s the kid starting over at a new school and deciding to be okay with it. It’s the service member who leaves knowing their family will hold it together.
At bBIG Communications, many of us on this side of the screen are affiliated with the military in some way, shape, or form, so we think about those people every day of the year. For nearly two decades, we’ve worked alongside military exchanges and commissaries across every branch, helping make the day-to-day a little smoother for military families.
Honoring military families is a mission that continues all year long, and it is something we are proud to be a part of.