Military parents face challenging responsibilities in raising their kids. They belong to special club. So, life is quite different for them. Since, there is great work load on elders, they don’t get enough time for young ones.
Child care centers
Military children don’t get ample time with parents; they are usually admitted in child development centers. It’s a smart idea to let your child get a healthy environment. There, they stay under a constant supervision of well-trained, courteous directresses. It is also made sure that those children get quality education. Each area of their personality develops perfectly. Their physical, cognitive and physiological health is also taken care of.
Child Development centers by DoD
At present, Department of Defense (DoD) is operating 800 Child Development Centers (CDC) all over the world. They offer care services to 200,000 military and DoD civilian kids every single day. These centers are located at 300 places in different regions of the globe. These provide care on part-day, full-day and hourly basis. These CDCs are highly reputed and considered to be excellent institutes for child care. National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) has approved almost 93 percent of these centers. CDCs enroll children of age six weeks to twelve years. Department of Defense subsidizes fees. The calculation is based average income of military family.
Family Child Care (FCC)
Department of Defense also supports Family Child Care programs. These provide high quality in-home care through certified experts. It has recently expanded its services. Military families in civilian areas or communities are also given these services. All staff members at FCC first pass various comprehensive tests. They get sufficient training as well. Obtaining license is imperative for them. Their local Child and Youth Program Office issues license to them. So, they are officially approved to work in this field. Getting accredited by National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is also required for all FCC providers.
School-age Care (SAC)
DoD School-Age Care programs cater to the needs of children aged 6 to 12 years. These have regular school schedule.
Advantage of child care Centers
These institutes help children learn various real-life skills in an interesting manner. Parents are at peace and satisfied. Their young ones are having a great experience at these centers. There are experts looking after them and shaping their personality.
Parents’ role
Your child is attending day care center. It does not mean your responsibility has been lifted. Parents must also play their role to raise strong kids. They should follow these guidelines:
- Always inculcate good habits in children
- Give good advice about being courteous and kind towards people in their social group
- Tell them to have patience, sharing and speaking nicely with elders or peers.
- Explain to them why father cannot stay home all the time. They will soon understand that deployment is a part of your job.
Keep a sharp vigilance on every matter related with your children. Try to resolve all conflicts as they arise.
