Why a Military Child is Like a Dandelion

This analogy resonates so much with me, when I think of how my military friends’ children are growing up or have grown to adulthood. The multiple postings to different locations including potential relocations to other countries have empowered them with such depth of resilience, compassion, empathy, unique skills and experiences to name but a few.

I often feel that the military child is ‘forgotten’ about by the wider community who do not have experience or an understanding of their unique challenges and experiences. Yet I encourage recruiters / people involved in the hiring process to look beyond the ‘they’ve moved about a lot’ mindset to see the unique skills, strengths, values, experiences that a military child can bring to an organisation.

What’s Their Strengths?

Below are a few skills and qualities I brainstormed a ‘military child’ may bring to an organisation – it’s a pretty impressive list don’t you think?

• Acceptance
• Adaptable
• Calm under pressure
• Courage
• Cultural awareness
• Curiosity
• Determination
• Emotional intelligence
• Empathy
• Face challenges head on
• Global awareness
• Growth mindset
• Hope
• Inquiring mind
• Listening
• Loyalty
• Open minded
• Patience
• Perspective
• Positive attitude
• Positive role model
• Proactive
• Problem solving
• Reflective
• Research
• Resilience
• Resourceful
• Risk taker
• Self-advocacy
• Self-awareness
• Self-care
• Self-motivation
• Self-regulation
• Sense of humour
• Social intelligence
• Value diversity
• Willing to embrace change
• Willing to try new things

 Deborah Laaff MRT, RCDP, MCDI in her LinkedIn post says “April is the month of the military child, military children face more challenges than most and need to be resilient and flexible in order to overcome these challenges, bounce back and continue to thrive.”

“The official flower of the military child is the dandelion. Why? The plant puts down roots almost anywhere, and it’s almost impossible to destroy. It’s an unpretentious plant, yet good looking. It’s a survivor in a broad range of climates. Military children bloom everywhere the winds carry them. They are hardy and upright. Their roots are strong, cultivated deeply in the culture of the military, planted swiftly and surely. They’re ready to fly in the breezes that take them to new adventures, new lands, and new friends. Experts say that military children are well-rounded, culturally aware, tolerant, and extremely resilient. Military children have learned from an early age that home is where their hearts are, that a good friend can be found in every corner of the world and that education doesn’t only come from school. They live history. They learn that to survive means to adapt, that the door that closes one chapter of their life opens up to a new and exciting adventure full of new friends and new experiences.”

~ Author Unknown

This for me sums up the life of a military child, and all that they carry into adulthood, that makes them unique.