While being in a military family doesn’t mean that everything about their childhood will be different, we know that the unique lifestyle can give our kids perspectives about life that many kids in civilian families don’t experience.
Not to mention the uncanny ability our “military brats” have in fluent acronym speak, adjusting to military culture, and finding the silver lining in some tough situations.
Our awesome group of collaborators put their heads together to come up with a list of ways you know your kid is a “brat”… a MILITARY brat that is! We want to know…what would you add to this list?
35 Ways You Know Your Kid is a Military Brat!
1. Every time we drive through the gate, our son salutes and says, “Have a great day SGT!” (No matter the rank, he loves the word SGT!)
2. They call their friends parents “Mrs. and Major, or Mr. and Colonel”
3. They have a daddy/mommy deployment doll.
4. They think it’s weird that their school friends’ dads or moms don’t deploy.
5. They know the seating plans on airplanes and the ramifications of them.
6. Even as preschoolers they don’t yell “It’s a plane/helicopter!!” They yell “It’s a C-130/Chinook!!” My 5-year old-daughter now identifies Russian Helos by the sound!
7. At 5 p.m. they know to stand still, hands over their hearts, and face the flag.
8. Their soccer coaches are apt to show up in uniform.
9. They are used to push-ups and flutter kicks instead of time outs and groundings.
10. They point excitedly at any military building on any base and proudly shout, “That’s my daddy’s house!”
11. Every time military aircraft flies over our house, the two-year-old says, “That’s Mommy.”
12. Their room is adorned with souvenirs from a dozen past bases.
13. They know how to work Facetime/Skype better than most adults.
14. They have friends in 16 states and four countries.
15. They also avoid kissing Daddy during Mustache March.
16. They know to be quiet and respectful while going through the gate.
17. They hear the national anthem and know EXACTLY what they need to do.
18. They have a room full of military coins.
19. They call police officers PMO.
20. 18 months into your current assignment, they start making requests for the next house.
21. They know dozens of people in five different time zones.