A lot can be said of military children and a lot can be learned from them. What we know is only a portion of what they may experience, think, or feel. For example, think about a time when you might have gone to the movies or cinema. You might get a snack, popcorn or chocolate and a drink, and then find your seat. As you settle in, perhaps you watch previews of movies yet to come. For most movie theaters, this is a likely practice, nothing overly exciting until you watch the film you paid to see. Now, imagine viewing a movie on a military installation. Before any previews, before any settling in, the curtain opens, the American flag is flying, and the national anthem plays. Everyone in the theatre stands at attention with their hand on their hearts, or saluting, while visions of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and guards flash on the screen. Imagine what that must be like for a child that before any event, attention is given to the flag, to the country, and those who serve. Now think of a rite of passage you experienced in your childhood: perhaps getting pierced ears, or achieving a milestone at school, or getting a driver’s license. For military children, one of the most important rites of passage comes at the age of ten, when they receive their own military identification card. This is one of the pleasant experiences that military children can face. However, while there are pleasant experiences that can invoke pride, there are many others that can create stress, anxiety, and fear. For this Discussion, review this week’s resources and consider the ways in which military life can impact children, both on and off military installations. Review the media clip, Family Counseling. Select one of the children from the media and consider how the issues this child is facing may be affecting him or her. How are the child’s coping strategies helping or hurting him or her in dealing with some of the issues related to military life? By Day 3 Post your observations about what is occurring with either the daughter or son related to his or her military experiences. How might the child’s coping strategies be helping or hurting him or her? What recommendations might you make to help the child cope better? Justify your recommendations. I tried to download the video which only about a minute. You might be able to get it online. Here’s the title for it. Laureate Education (Producer). (2011). Family counseling [Multimedia file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.