Civilian Child vs. Military Child

April is The Month of the Military Child, and in honor of military kids around the globe, here is a list of some comparisons between military children and their civilian counterparts, making them some unique and courageous souls.

1. A civilian child might dance around or talk during the National Anthem. A military child stands quietly with his hand over his heart.

2. A civilian child has a best friend in her hometown. A military child has a best friend in multiple states around the country and countries around the world.

3. A civilian child sees only the plane flying over. A military child can not only identify the type of plane flying, but probably knows someone who works on them.

4. A civilian child smells something nasty and yells “Ew, what’s that smell?” A military child smells something nasty and yells, “MOPP 4! MOPP 4!”

5. A civilian child sees a person in uniform. A military child can tell you what branch he’s in and what his rank is.

6. A civilian child thinks home is where the heart is. A military child knows home is where the military sends you.

7. A civilian child lives for tomorrow and what it might bring. A military child lives for today, because tomorrow Daddy or Mommy might get called away again.

8. A civilian child gets to kiss Mommy and Daddy goodnight each night. A military child sometimes has to kiss a picture of Daddy or Mommy goodnight.

9. A civilian child talks on the phone for fun. A military child lives for the 15 minute phone calls once a week.

10. A civilian child can read and write in English. A military child can read and write in acronyms.

11. A civilian child says “goodbye.” A military child says “see you later.”

12. A civilian child gets to see things other kids would love to see. A military child gets to see things world leaders would love to see.

13. A civilian child will probably go to the same school her entire life. A military child will probably change schools every two years.

14. A civilian child might rarely leave his hometown for anything other than vacation. A military child will rarely see his “hometown” for anything other than vacation.

Finally…

15. A civilian child supports our service members. A military child is loved by at least one service member.

The next time you say a prayer for our troops, please say a prayer for their families, especially their children back home that are trying to be strong.