Parenting & Children

Wouldn’t it be great if children came with instructions? As a military parent, you have the next best thing to parenting instructions – a wealth of parenting resources, benefits and programs. Military OneSource is by your side through the journey of parenthood – through the early years and tricky teen years. Whether it’s finding quality child care, learning about adoption, helping your kids excel in school or connecting to resources, Military OneSource is here for you.

Benefits

Resources

Understanding the Basics

Young children and their caregivers make arts and crafts together

Child Care - The Essentials

Adoption - The Essentials

Family sitting on couch with child hugging mother

Parenting Infants and Toddlers - The Essentials

Father and son with arms around each other.

Parenting Youth and Teens - The Essentials

Parenting Through Deployment - The Essentials

Latest Content

U.S. Air Force Airman gets his face painted during a camouflage face painting activity

MilParent Power is Help for Parents

November 13, 2019 @ 2:31 PM | 11 Min Read | 20175 Views

MilParent Power offers helpful information and practical tools to help busy military parents build family togetherness, readiness and resilience.

Sesame Street for Military Families: Helping Kids Through Life’s Milestones

November 13, 2019 @ 12:06 PM | 6 Min Read | 33548 Views

For many years, colorful Sesame Street characters like Elmo and Big Bird have helped children learn while having fun. The Department of Defense has drawn on these familiar friends to help children ages 2-6 through the milestones of relocations, deployments, transitions and more.

Father walks with student on first day of school.

Plan Your Operation Back-to-School for Your Military Child

November 13, 2019 @ 11:56 AM | 2 Min Read | 360 Views

Transition smoothly from summer to school by making a great game plan for the school year with your child. By doing so, you can help your child establish a sense of ownership in the plan to prepare them for – and perhaps even get excited about – going back to school.

Teacher in classroom with young children

Healthy Sexual Behaviors in Children

August 29, 2019 @ 4:10 PM | 9 Min Read | 4855 Views

The birds and the bees. It can be a tough conversation for any parent to have with their children. Rather than avoiding it, prepare early by understanding the childhood stages of healthy sexual growth. Understanding their development stages can better prepare you for “the conversation” and any questions they may ask you about gender, sexuality and relationships along the way.

Children and Technology: 5 Tips for MilParents

August 26, 2019 @ 4:29 PM | 6 Min Read | 11719 Views

Parenting today means staying in the know and up to date on technology with all of its gadgets and apps – and being able to guide its use in your home.

Ways to Secure More Parenting Wins

July 25, 2019 @ 4:53 PM | 5 Min Read | 8015 Views

MilParent Power offers tools, tips and tactics to help keep children and families healthy, safe and strong.

Deployed sailors hold up smartphones with pictures of their children

New Military Parents: Seven Ways to Keep Your Child Safe, Happy and Healthy

July 5, 2019 @ 12:31 PM | 3 Min Read | 25371 Views

Welcome to parenthood. Parenting can be the most rewarding and challenging job you’ll likely have. As a warrior, you’re trained to depend on a team and leave no service member behind.

MilParent Power Tips

July 5, 2019 @ 12:25 PM | 7 Min Read | 32209 Views

Parenting is a perfect example of family readiness and resilience – it’s an “always-on” job. Like a military mission, responsible parenting requires attention, smarts, skills and support. Here are 19 tips to help you step up your parenting and improve your childrearing skills. Everyone wins with responsible parenting.

JROTC cadets take part in military training day at Homestead ARB

Parenting and Teen Stress

June 28, 2019 @ 1:02 PM | 5 Min Read | 28769 Views

Teens juggle many things: fitting in at school, managing classwork and clubs, the daily tidal wave of hormones, and the ups and downs of high school romances.

Protect Your Children from Health Risks by Building Family Resilience

June 27, 2019 @ 10:08 AM | 5 Min Read | 32392 Views

As a parent, being aware of factors that can impact your child’s well-being – even into adulthood – is mission-critical. Research shows that when a child has a secure bond or attachment with their parent or caregiver, they can better manage stress.

USAR Soldiers leave lasting impression on Polish community

MilParent Power: Keeping Your Children Safe

June 24, 2019 @ 3:44 PM | 5 Min Read | 30416 Views

In many ways parenting is a lot like a military job: it’s a 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year commitment.

Group of children sitting in a classroom.

Understanding Your Child’s Development: An Overview for Military Parents

June 24, 2019 @ 3:24 PM | 4 Min Read | 26942 Views

Children change quickly. Suddenly your sleeping infant is an independent 3-year-old. Before you know it, your kid is off to high school.

A dietician speaks to a parent during an event hosted by the New Parent Support Program.

Top Military OneSource Parenting Resources

June 6, 2019 @ 9:35 AM | 3 Min Read | 34682 Views

You have a busy life working, caring for the kids, cleaning the house, running carpool and making dinner. Military OneSource understands that and does your homework for you. We highlight the latest resources, information and advice on parenting so that you don’t have to spend hours at the computer on your downtime looking up services.

Making the Move Easier for Military Kids

June 5, 2019 @ 1:30 PM | 1 Min Read | 25302 Views

Moving with kids can be a little like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. A little perspective and patience is needed for you to fit all the pieces together.

How to Communicate With Children From Birth to 5 Years

May 30, 2019 @ 8:44 AM | 3 Min Read | 29552 Views

The way your child communicates will change a lot between birth and the age of five, and children have a language of their own. Knowing what to expect can help you understand and respond to your child in meaningful ways.

How Military Parents Can Create Safe Sleeping Environments for Infants

April 26, 2019 @ 5:23 PM | 3 Min Read | 2018 Views

One of the easiest ways for military parents to keep your children safe – and avoid the possibility of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS – is to arrange for a safe sleep place before your infant comes home from the hospital.

How to Teach Your Military Child About Healthy Boundaries

April 26, 2019 @ 2:49 PM | 4 Min Read | 2428 Views

The best way for military families to show children healthy boundaries is to model it yourself – both with them and with other adults. Here’s a list of some common ways you can help your children learn to build this resilient skill in everyday family life.

Mother and daughter sitting on a bench with arms around each other.

Tools for Parenting After a Suicide

March 4, 2019 @ 5:16 PM | 4 Min Read | 26293 Views

You do not have to handle the grief of a suicide all by yourself. Help is available to you.

Service member holding hands with military spouse.

Deployment Resources for Families

March 4, 2019 @ 3:14 PM | 5 Min Read | 102250 Views

While military families know how to stand strong, the stresses of deployment can bring extra challenges. At Military OneSource, we're here to help — by connecting you to a wide array of programs and services designed for military families.

Ways to Support Your Kids in Grade School

January 31, 2019 @ 2:36 PM | 2 Min Read | 29502 Views

As the guardian of your family, you want to both protect your children and help them be their best. Helping them to learn and grow is a big way to achieve both goals.

How to Support Healthy Sexual Relationships for Your Military Teenager

January 28, 2019 @ 12:35 PM | 6 Min Read | 4543 Views

Military parents or guardians like you can maximize the chances of your teenager having happy and healthy relationships in high school and beyond by learning about the emotional and health problems that can arise from common unhealthy sexual behaviors, as well as what healthy teenage relationship behaviors are.

Helping Your Children Change Schools

January 10, 2019 @ 1:08 PM | 2 Min Read | 32730 Views

Frequent moving to new duty stations is fact of military life. Be prepared to help your school-age children with changing schools—it can go a long way to helping them adjust in healthy ways to some of the routines of military life.

The New Parent Support Program

January 4, 2019 @ 11:20 AM | 5 Min Read | 43381 Views

The New Parent Support Program helps military parents, including expectant parents, transition successfully into parenthood and provides a nurturing environment for their children.

Supporting Your Military Children Through the Deployment Cycle

December 12, 2018 @ 2:39 PM | 5 Min Read | 79896 Views

As parents, we want to be good role models for our children. When word of a deployment comes, you’ll get a chance to show your kids what it takes to be a good guardian of your family.

Service member embraces his wife and son.

6 Tips to Harness Your MilParent Power

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 4 Min Read | 31237 Views

As a service member, spouse or survivor you know the importance of being a good guardian — of country, community and family. Responsibility is nothing new.

12 Can’t-Miss Parenting Resources for Military Parents

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 4 Min Read | 33271 Views

From new parent support assistance to newsletters packed with information, military parents have access to numerous resources to make your job of raising kids a little easier and a lot more fun.

Elementary School children draw out their emotions during a therapy session

Bullying: How to Identify and Address Peer Aggression

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 3 Min Read | 27317 Views

Bullying, or peer aggression, is more common than you think. It consists of any behavior – verbal or physical – directed at peers and intended to cause harm.

Helping Your Child Find a Mentor

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 5 Min Read | 31719 Views

Sometimes other adults have the special gift of helping our children see and use their strengths and talents. This is mentorship.

Tips for Disciplining Your Child

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 5 Min Read | 26334 Views

Misbehavior is a natural part of growing up. However, dealing with it as a parent requires lots of deep breathing, patience and strategies for discipline.

Potential Signs of Postpartum Depression

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 2 Min Read | 26557 Views

While the "baby blues" are common for many women after giving birth, some women face a more prolonged and serious period of depression. If your feelings of sadness or anxiety do not go away, you may be suffering from postpartum depression.

Silas, one, son of Capt. Owen, 15th Reconnaissance Squadron pilot, receives a balloon monkey during a “Take Your Kid to Work Day” event April 23, 2015, at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada. Creech families honored the Month of the Military Child with food, face painting, and a magic show sponsored by the Las Vegas USO. In addition military vehicles and equipment were also on display and included the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen/Released)

The Military Parenting Community: Enhancing Resilience One Family at a Time

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 3 Min Read | 26050 Views

Raising a child can be the most exhilarating of adventures. It can also be exhausting, overwhelming or relentless — sometimes all at the same time.

Military Child Care Programs

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 3 Min Read | 95918 Views

Choosing child care may be one of the most important decisions — and one of the first — you’ll make as a parent.

Child Counseling Helps Kids Develop Healthy Habits

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 3 Min Read | 58738 Views

As a parent of a military youth, you can help your children learn how to develop healthy ways to deal with stress and life’s curveballs.

15 Tips for Helping Your Teenager Deal With Deployment

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 4 Min Read | 30101 Views

Patience, communication and extra care can go a long way in comforting a teenager who is dealing with deployment. Knowing how to respond as a parent to the feelings associated with deployment will ensure a successful transition for everyone.

Service member watches video of child being born

Becoming a New Father While You’re Deployed

December 12, 2018 @ 2:36 PM | 5 Min Read | 31776 Views

Don’t let the stress of deployment spoil the bliss you feel as an expectant father. Even if you won’t be there for the delivery, you can still experience the joys of new fatherhood.

Getting the Most from Military Kids Connect

March 15, 2018 @ 10:47 AM | 2 Min Read | 37900 Views

Military kids get to develop skill sets other kids never learn. As a parent, that’s your job — helping your kids cope in healthy ways to changing circumstances.

Child and his mom holding a drawn house with family

5 Adoption Options

March 15, 2018 @ 9:51 AM | 2 Min Read | 33839 Views

Military life is no longer a barrier to adoption as it once was. However, the adoption process can be a complicated journey and goes more smoothly with a little guidance and information.

7 Tips for Teaching Teens Money Management

March 15, 2018 @ 9:50 AM | 3 Min Read | 29357 Views

It’s never too early to start teaching your kids about money. Encourage them to collect their allowance in a piggy bank whenever they start earning one.

How to Create and Maintain Routines

March 15, 2018 @ 9:50 AM | 2 Min Read | 24354 Views

Most children thrive with routine. Little people crave a sense of control, especially with regard to sleeping and eating Routines are especially important for children who have difficulty with transitions.

Talking to Your Teen About Substance Abuse

March 15, 2018 @ 9:50 AM | 3 Min Read | 21516 Views

Substance abuse happens everywhere, including on and off military installations.

How to Talk to a Child About a Parent’s Severe Injury

March 15, 2018 @ 9:50 AM | 5 Min Read | 19964 Views

Telling your child about a parent's severe injury is a delicate issue that often requires some preparation and guidance.

Search All

Home

Family & Relationships