These kids face countless challenges, and it’s hard to not be amazed at their ability to adapt and soldier on, through thick and thin. Their resiliency and strength makes them pretty super in our eyes, and we’re guessing you feel the same way too.

Tell Us About Your Superhero

We think military kids are pretty super and I bet you do too!

Are your military kids pretty super? Do they have a super power? In 100-300 words tell us about your military child’s superpower.

For example – “My daughter is super Flexible. Although she has had to deal with several curve balls this year, including her dad unexpectedly missing her birthday, she keeps a smiling face and has learned to come up with new plans and traditions to ‘make the best of it.’ I don’t know how I would get through days when her daddy is gone without her coming to the rescue.”

The Rules

• We will pick three winning stories and publish them on our blog as proof of your child’s “super-iority!”
• We will also make a one-of-a-kind print of your child in true superhero form! We will customize this character to your child’s likeness and their own individual “superpower” and send you a framed copy.
• Submit your entry by Sunday, April 12.
• Winning submissions will be chosen (and notified) by April 15 and published during the week of April 26.

Please submit your child’s super story by emailing your story to editor@vu.com!

Washing machines can be hidden dangers to children.

When parents think of household dangers to children, most would probably cite coffee spills, hot stoves, sharp objects and bathtubs as examples of things that commonly cause harm to children. But what about the rest of the house? It might come as a surprise that certain objects such as washing machines and televisions can pose a risk to kids.

In order to keep your home as safe as possible for your children, here are a few hidden household dangers to look out for.

Loose Cords

Cords dangling from window shades do not immediately seem like a threat to a child’s safety. But a young child who starts playing with a cord can accidentally get caught in it, leading to injury or worse. According to CNN.com, parents should tie up loose cords that hang low to the ground from blinds so a child won’t be able to reach it. Also avoid placing furniture that children can climb on in front of a window.

The same goes for bungee or power cords. Aside from tripping a child, power cords can cause electrical burns, according to CNN.com. Put power cords away whenever possible, and if they must stay out, try to not leave them out in the open.

Changing Light Bulbs and Batteries

Light bulbs can be dangerous in their own right, due to heat, breakage or chemicals. And if you change a light bulb while your child watches below, this can cause even more damage than a light bulb simply breaking. Because changing a light bulb is a tricky and delicate process, make sure your child is not watching underneath. Glass could shatter or chemicals could get into eyes, so make sure your children are a safe distance away, according to Global Children’s Fund. This applies to batteries as well because corrosive acid could fall into a child’s eyes on accident.

Washing Machines

Finally, washing machines can be a danger to children, especially if the machine is top-loading, according to MSN. If there is water in the machine, a small child could become submerged and perhaps burned in hot water. A spinning basin could also pose danger to a child. Be sure not to leave your children unattended in the laundry room, and don’t leave a way for them to climb on the washing machine in case they get into the room.

Although many more household dangers exist, these are ones that might not come to mind so quickly. Taking precaution will greatly lower the chances of such a disaster occurring.

Photo courtesy of jim212jim

A new bill proposed in Texas is hoping to relax the rules a bit for the unique situations military families experience. Will it work?

A proposed bill in Texas will help military families spend more time together before and after deployment.

Difficulties

Due to current attendance policies, some military children may not be able to spend much time with their service member parent before and after deployment, as well as during leaves. School districts face strict regulation when it comes to student absences. Attendance important to make sure students stay on top of their studies, and districts receive funding based on it.

Although these rules are in place for good reasons, military families don’t have a choice when it comes to deployment. School is obviously important, but so is spending time with a parent before they will be gone for months on end or as they make the transition back to civilian life.

Proposed Solutions

The proposal, currently limited to Texas, would extend the number of allowed excused absences to a maximum of 10 for any student who’s parent is in a uniformed service about to deploy, on a leave or returning from a deployment of six months or longer. Without having to fight bureaucracy, military families will have more time together.

Military families often don’t have a choice when it comes to deployment.

Deputy Superintendent of Learning in the Ft. Worth district, Michael Sorum, agrees “Allowing our military families some extra time to adjust to an imminent departure will help students and families be more successful. We know that military parents understand the importance of doing well in school and we know that they will use these extra privileges judiciously.” As long as children are able to catch up on their missed work, this time will be invaluable to easing the transitions associated with deployments.

MIC3

The proposed bill in Texas fits with a growing national support to help military families be successful in spite of the added difficulties. The Military Interstate Children’s Compact Commission, also known as MIC3, is a group that gets state school boards to agree to rules that address challenges that may hold back military children.

When a state joins the compact, their state agrees to a set of uniform standards for enrollment, activity eligibility, class placement and graduation rules that may hold back military children due to the complicated process of transferring school several times. As of now, 43 states have joined so be sure to take advantage of this resource if you are having any problems transferring schools.

Whether you’re changing school districts or facing a deployment at your current school, be sure to check out the resources available and always make teachers and administration aware right away to avoid any problems down the road.

Images courtesy of USDAgov & The U.S. Army

Minors are often more vulnerable to identity theft—especially Social Security number-related theft—because parents don’t expect their children to be victimized. And since creditors cannot verify age of the applicant based on a Social Security number, thieves can simply provide a fake name and a fake age to go with the number and start on a clean slate.

So what’s a parent to do?

An Upsetting Trend

A recent Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) study shows that, in its sample of 40,000 children, about 10 percent were targets of Social Security number-related ID theft, compared to just 0.2 percent in their adult counterparts.  The youngest victim was not even a year old.

A child may become a victim of identity theft from the minute they are born

The rise in child ID theft is an upsetting trend. For military families that pack and move with each reassignment, it’s particularly important to be vigilant about a child’s personal information. Just think about how difficult it would be to try to recover a stolen identity while stationed abroad.

Still, there’s some telltale warning signs of ID theft that you can be on the lookout for.

You should suspect ID theft if:

• Your child suddenly begins to receive credit card applications and/or preapproval letters
• Calls from government agencies such as the Social Security Administration seeking verification that your child is employed, even though he or she has never worked
• Your family or child is denied government assistance because someone else using the same Social Security number is already receiving benefits
• The IRS notifies you that you cannot list a child as a dependent because his or her Social Security number has been listed on another tax return
• Bills from credit card companies and calls from collection agencies

Act immediately if you think your child’s identity has been misused. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and contact Equifax, Experian or TransUnion for a credit check. If there is no file created in your child’s name, that’s good news.

Surprisingly and perhaps dishearteningly, it’s often a family member or a close friend who commits child ID theft. About 30 percent of the ID thieves in the CMU study had a personal relationship with the victim. And according to the study, the majority of the perpetrators were not financially motivated, at least not directly. Children’s Social Security numbers were used to cover up illegal immigration, front criminal enterprises, qualify for government aid, obtain employment and other scandalous issues.

To combat child ID theft, the FTC recommends open and consistent communication with your child about the value of personal information.

Several safety tips:

• Keep identifying documents such as the birth certificate and Social Security card locked in a secure place
• Be aware of the amount of information posted on social media sites (posting date and place of birth make it easy for ID thieves to guess the Social Security number)
• Use strong passwords that have mixed case letters as well as numbers and special characters; keep those passwords private

Another thing to keep in mind is how accessible a child’s confidential records can be. With a more mobile lifestyle like that of the military family, protecting a child’s identity can require extra effort. Schools and various extracurriculars in which your child is involved in may ask for a Social Security number. If you sense a red flag, don’t be afraid to ask why.

The silver lining? In June of 2011, the Social Security Administration finally revamped the assignment method for Social Security numbers using randomization, so the generation going forward may just see curbed ID theft rates.

Photo courtesy paparutzi

Parent deployments, frequent moves, a new school every few years, a constant rotation of friends, and, most of all, the threat of a parent being killed in combat — these are the situations the military child has to encounter and most non-military children don’t ever have to worry about. These facts of military life make them more prone to stress and anxiety, but military children are also found to be quite resilient in the face of those demanding pressures.

Parent deployments, frequent moves, a new school every few years, a constant rotation of friends, and, most of all, the threat of a parent being killed in combat — these are the situations the military child has to encounter.

Studies Show a Mixture of Stress and Resilience

A variety of studies have been conducted in recent years documenting the amount of stress and anxiety levels that military children have.

A recent study found that military children, aged 11 to 17, “had more emotional difficulties compared with national samples.” Older youth and girls of all ages reported that they had greater school-, family-, and peer-related difficulties when a parent was deployed. Military children can also experience higher levels of anxiety, depression and withdrawal.

The child may have difficulty staying emotionally connected with the military parent because of frequent deployment and trips away, according to Lemmon. This could contribute to excessive worry, sadness, and feelings of isolation.

Events specific to the military life have an influence on military children in a way that they exhibit a greater amount of stress compared to their non-military peers. But, when Lemmon mentions that military children are resilient, what does he mean?

The Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) at Purdue University has asked the same question regarding resilience. It has two components: (1) exposure to adverse or traumatic circumstances, and (2) successful adaptation following exposure.

Resilience requires that negative conditions — the stressors of the military family life — be present in order for a military child to exhibit resilience. Successful adaptation after an adverse experience will depend on genetic factors, such as intelligence and temperament, and environmental conditions, such as support from parents and community.

Another study, conducted by Army War College researcher Leonard Wong, found that adolescents who believe that America supports the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and that American soldiers are making a positive difference in the world are likely to have less stress and anxiety when a parent deploys. The research also found that Army families with strong support and increased activity — sports, patriotic activities, etc. — reduced the levels of stress.

Growing Resources for Parents

Fortunately, excessive states of worry and sadness are rare in military children, Lemmon said. “Experienced military parents usually develop good systems of maintaining important connections with their children while they’re away doing important and necessary work for the nation. And luckily these days, there are a lot of great tools that allow military parents who are geographically separated to stay in touch, such as email, video calling and frequent texting.”

In addition the the communication tools that deployed parents have to stay in touch with their children, there are a growing number of resources for military families on the internet. One such source is StayingStrong.org. It is an initiative of the Red Sox Foundation and the Massachusetts General Hospital Base Program. Its purpose is to be an online source for parental guidance for miltary connected families.

Joining Forces is another initiative, which is supported by the White House. Their website provides information for education support of military children to job oppurtunities for military spouses.

Make sure you’re doing everything you can to stay healthy and help your body fight off infections and bacteria. Simple changes to your lifestyle, diet and stress level as well as knowing which immune supplements to avoid will help you make it through the season with fewer trips to see the doctor.

Regularly washing your hands will reduce the number of bacteria and viruses your immune system has to fight.

Lifestyle

Some of the most effective ways to boost your immune system are the most basic. We’ve heard it since we were little kids, but first and foremost remember to wash your hands often, especially before meals. Also remember that your immune system isn’t separate from your body, everything works together so maintaining a healthy lifestyle will naturally boost your immune defenses.

Staying on a regular sleep cycle and integrating as much exercise as possible into your routine are great ways to keep your body healthy and happy so it can fight off even the worst cold this winter.

Making sure you don’t forget to eat your fruits and vegetables gives your body the building blocks it needs to fight an infection.

Diet and Supplements

Maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult around this time of the year when fruits and vegetables aren’t as easy to find and holiday parties are full of unhealthy food in big quantities. Staying properly nourished provides your body with all of the building blocks necessary to stay healthy.

If you’re worried you aren’t getting all of the proper vitamins and nutrients, look into a simple daily multivitamin. The Harvard Medical Journal’s review on immunity suggests daily multivitamins are far better at maintaining a healthy immune system and cautions against products with mega doses of only a few. These products overload your body with more than it can handle at once and then leave you worse off after.

Finding a healthy outlet for your stress is key in maintaining a healthy immune system.

Stress

With no surprise, stress is one of the biggest factors negatively affecting immune strength. Although studying the direct relationship between emotional stress and immunity is difficult, studies have noted that the immune system of stressed patients respond slower to invading viruses.

Avoiding stress completely around the holiday season is especially difficult, but taking moments to relax and destress are incredibly important. Activities like yoga and meditation are excellent ways to relax and check out some of our other articles about avoiding stress. It’ll be a lot easier to take 15 minutes out of your day to remove your stress than it will be to spend a week in bed with the flu.

Images courtesy bottled_void, jturn and PeapodLabs

The result is that moving frequently can take its toll on the family, and although its members might grow accustomed to the process, adjusting to life in a new city is always gradual at first.

So when a military family not only has to move, but move overseas, the adjusting period is amplified by multiple factors, such as unfamiliarity, language and culture. How, then, do military families adjust to living overseas?

Military families have to adjust to life overseas.

It might not be easy, but there are certainly ways to help military families and spouses feel more at home in a foreign country. According to Military Hub, “The United States military has troops deployed in nearly 130 countries around the world performing a variety of duties.” Lesson No. 1 is that if you’re a military family living abroad, you are not alone. The knowledge that countless other families have gone through this should be encouraging.

Another way for military families to adjust is to take advantage of support, services and encouragement available from a particular service branch. Plentiful resources exist within U.S. bases abroad, and they are ready to help.

Outside the bases, the cultural differences will become more apparent. According to Best World Travel Destinations, misunderstandings can occur due to these differences. Military families will adjust to another culture better by making an effort to learn the common cultural practices of their new location including body language and eating. Language can be a bigger issue at times, unless the foreign country is primarily English-speaking. To deal with this, it is best to learn the most common words and phrases of the language, even if it takes a little time. This will help families in the long run to navigate the city smoothly.

One military spouse who is quite versed in adjusting to living overseas is Air Force wife, Heather Blackman. She and her husband are currently at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany for their very first duty station. Her husband finished Air Force basic training and school in late July, and the couple moved to Germany in August, so she knows what it’s like to have to move quickly and far.

“We actually PCS’ed expecting our first child,” Blackman said. “Honestly, moving to a different country can be very nerve-wracking and a little scary because you’re not sure what to expect. Upon arriving here, we have met different people who are very friendly and always willing to help. It’s basically a life saver as you’re trying to settle into somewhere new and different. We actually are having to visit a hospital off-base to see an OB, but the doctors and staff are very friendly, informative and caring.”

Even though a country overseas can seem intimidating, people will want to help you adjust, which can make the process much easier. If you have children, schooling for them will depend on the location. Some cities that have good educational systems, according to Best World Travel Destinations, might require children to go to a local school, where they will also likely learn the local language. Other cities might have schools set up on the military base by the Department of Defense. The DoD Education Activity will ensure schooling arrangements are made.

As far as housing, it takes time to adjust like the other aspects of living abroad. “Moving into a new house and settling into a new life can be frightening or exciting; I feel like it’s best to go with the most positive feeling so you don’t get so homesick,” Blackman said.

“While it may be harder for some than others, it really is a great experience. Being introduced into a new culture and even a different way of living is such an amazing opportunity that not everyone is blessed with. You can almost definitely learn patience, since there is a language barrier with some. Just being aware of someone else’s way of life is an eye opener.”

Photo courtesy of jim.greenhill

Many of the books written for military children deal with the stresses of deployment and the resultant separation from a parent. Other books talk about frequent relocations, what happens when a parent comes home and the many honors and traditions that come with being part of a military family.

The books we’ve chosen are mostly geared toward younger children, but there are also some excellent resources out there for teenagers and adult family members who are left behind.

Help military children cope with things such as the stresses of a deployment. Books written with their unique experiences in mind are a great resource!

“The Soldiers’ Night Before Christmas,” by Trish Holland and Christine Ford

Inspired by the classic yuletide poem, this is an obvious choice for military children who have a parent deployed during the holiday season. Find out what Christmas is like for those serving overseas. Ages 3+.

“H is for Honor: A Military Family Alphabet,” by Devin Scillian

This book written with military brats in mind explores and explains many aspects of the military family lifestyle. For each letter of the alphabet, there’s a short poem to describe various military terms. The poems are accompanied by a full-page illustration and a sidebar rich with additional information. A great, kid-friendly way to learn about all things military. Ages 6+.

“My Dad’s a Hero,” by Rebecca Christiansen

This book helps children better understand the work of their deployed parent: what he eats, where he sleeps, how he keeps in touch, etc. It also helps children develop a sense of pride in their parent’s work by giving an age appropriate description of the sacrifices service members make. The book provides places to put photographs of the child and their parent, who are both heroes in this story. Ages 4+.

“Boo Boo Bear’s Mission: The True Story of a Teddy Bear’s Adventures in Iraq,” by Mary Linda Sather

This book tells the true story of a young girl, her father, who was deployed to Iraq with the Air National Guard, and a beloved teddy bear sent in a care package. This is a great resource for children during a deployment, providing kid-friendly insight into the work of a service member. The book also comes with a parent guide to discussing and dealing with the stresses of military family separations. Ages 4+.

“A Paper Hug,” by Stephanie Skolmoski

This book not only addresses the many emotions the child of a deployed service member might feel, it also offers a creative craft idea young readers can actually act on. Learn how to make a “paper hug” of your very own to send in the next care package.

“My Mommy Wears Combat Boots,” by Sharon G. McBride

Many books for military children feature a father stationed overseas, a situation that many families can identify with. Enter Sharon McBride, a U.S. Army vet and mother. This educational and inspirational book doesn’t sugarcoat, but instead helps young readers (and their parents) understand the many feelings they might have about a parent’s absence.

“Love Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom,” by Lisa Tucker McElroy

Help children dealing with separation from a parent with this book about a young girl and her deployed mother, told through a series of letters. The book also includes tips for helping military children and their families. All ages.

“Night Catch,” by Brenda Ehrmantraut

This beautiful and touching picture book tells the story of a deployed soldier who enlists the help of the North Star for a nightly game of catch with his son.

“Home Again,” by Dorinda Silver Williams

This book is a great resource for military children whose parents are coming home. This can often be a confusing time for family members of all ages — full of excitement, but also big change. Reading this book to children before a parent returns is a wonderful way to help them better understand what’s going on.

Do you have a favorite military child must-read that didn’t make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Looking for something less serious and more seasonal? Here are 10 can’t miss holiday books for children of all ages.

According to tradition, this mischievous elf comes out every year before Christmas and checks in on little children on behalf of Santa Claus. While this elf visits your home, he comes alive at night and tends to get into a little bit of trouble.Rumor has it that military elves visit military families, too, and like doing some of the same things that our deployed service members do. And with a bit of camouflage and a dog tag, Sargent Peppermint was born.

These ideas for Elf on a Shelf can also double as some great activities to keep Mom or Dad involved if your family is going through a deployment over the holidays.

1. Elf on the Shelf Joins the Army

It wasn’t hard to make Sgt. Peppermint’s elf-sized ACUs from some camouflage duct tape and his dog tags from a bit of aluminum foil.

You can customize your elf outfit for your branch of service.

2. Elf Goes to “Basic Elf Training”

Create mini obstacles that your elf can do: hurdling ornaments, climbing the tree, chin-ups, and more.

3. Give “Elf Mail” to Your Kids from Mom or Dad

This is a great idea for during deployment. Have Mom or Dad who is deployed send a special letter to your child, then have your elf “deliver” it.

Getting mail is a delight in itself but getting it via “elf mail” somehow makes it seem more like magic.

 4. Elf on the Shelf Visits the Troops

Elf on a Shelf will ship orders to APO addresses so you can order an elf (an elf double), ship it to a loved one overseas and have them take pictures or Skype with the kids to show that the elf visited them one day.

5. Studying Up on Geography

Kids awake to find that the elf is studying up on the country where their parent is deployed/stationed.

You can make all sorts of fact sheets, maps or even a sheet showing the time differences that elf could be studying.

 6. Elf Learns to Salute the American Flag

Pose elf saluting while facing an American flag.

7. Elf on the Shelf Does PT

Physical training is important for elves too. Elves need to be physically ready for the big day, so this elf is doing push ups.

An added bonus would be a drill sergeant action figure to stand over the elf.

8. Elf Makes New Friends

Elf on the Shelf is always on the move. He knows how hard it is to make new friends at every new home. Have your elf hold a sign that says “Make New Friends but Keep The Old, One is Silver and the Other’s Gold.”

9. Operation Elf on the Shelf

Have the elf take part in a military operation with whatever toys you have. We just used walkie-talkies and a few action figures.

Time to break out the remote controlled Humvee, plastic tanks and GI Joe.

10. Zip lining with Soldiers

Sgt. Peppermint choose to zip line from our tree, but your elf could set up a zip line anywhere in the house.

Be sure to tell your kids, this is one of those “do not try this at home” stunts.

11. Elf on the Shelf Cozies Up to the Marine Corps

You should make this your own, pose your elf with your troop’s patches or your military branch’s gear. We thought Sgt. Peppermint looked pretty cute in this Marine Corps cover.

Elf loves to get into other people’s things and even try them on for size.

12. Elf and Combat Boots

Your elf can take a ride in combat boots, or have him try to lace them up and tie them.

This is especially fun if you kids are learning to tie shoes.

13. Shine Your Dress Shoes

Elf loves to be helpful. He can shine your dress shoes/boots (pretending to shine your combat boots works for a substitute).

Sgt. Peppermint has pretty good shoe shining technique.

13. Elf Reads a Story

You often see Elf on a Shelf reading a book, but you can add a military twist by having him read a book about the military or go the extra mile and find a military-Christmas book like The Soldier’s Night Before Christmas.

14. Defending the Presents from an Enemy Toy Soldier Invasion

Sgt. Peppermint can play lookout and defend the presents under the tree.

All it takes is some play binoculars and some toy soldiers and you’ll have a delightful scene.

15. Elf Leads the March

Elf lines up all your toy friends for a march through the snow. Bonus: Make up a Christmas-themed marching cadence.

Hey, Ho, Santa Claus! (Hey, Ho, Santa Claus!)

 16. Elf on the Shelf Hangs with the Nutcracker

We have some military nutcrackers at our house, so we had Sgt. Peppermint spend a night out with the guys.

It looks like they had a good time spreading Christmas cheer.

17. Elf on the Shelf Joins the Navy and Sets Sail

We outfitted elf with a sailor cap and set sail in the kitchen sink.

Elf would make a very good sailor.

 18. Elf on the Shelf Builds a Plane

Our elf can likes to paint, and decided to paint a model Air Force plane. It also doubles as a surprise for the kids when they find out they get to finish the project and keep the plane.

Elf can even fly on the plane when your kids finish the model, just string it from the ceiling and have elf take flight.

And although your inner child may hate to admit it, Halloween candy overload does exist. If it’s mid-November and the afterglow of your sugary haul is long gone, check out these ideas for getting rid of it creatively.

A Halloween haul

Eat it. Mix it up with one (or several) of these recipes.

• Try serving Twizzlers-popcorn snack mix or trail mix with M&Ms as an after-school snack. Include nuts in either for a healthy protein boost.
• Melt fun-sized candy bars to create an extra-decadent hot chocolate or mocha.
• Bake it into a Thanksgiving treat. This caramel-cookie cheesecake pie is sure to delight everyone at your table. If you’re feeling less ambitious, make a boring cake mix fancy by adding chocolate chunks or candy corn garnishes.
• Use it to decorate a gingerbread house.

Gift it. Over the next few weeks there will be numerous occasions when you’ll wish you had a ready supply of goodies to hand off to just about everyone you meet. An edible gift you can make in bulk is a great cost-effective option. No, we’re not suggesting you hand out ghost-shaped marshmallows. Instead, check out these more festive ideas.

• Make bark. Create a fancier candy such as this peanut butter and toffee bark using your leftovers. Chocolate bark is very versatile and relatively easy to make. Use these tips to get started.
• Melt, chop and crush candies to create the fixings for chocolate-covered pretzels.

Save it. You can freeze most candy for up to a year. Pull it out when you’re in the mood for something sweet, or to use a garnish on treats throughout the year. Websites such as StillTasty.com can help you determine the shelf life of various goodies.

Send it. Pack up leftovers to send to your deployed loved one. Use these care package tips to make sure the candies you send make it overseas intact.

Donate it. Knowing you sweetened the day of someone in need might even be more fun than a month-long sugar high.

• Check out organizations such as Halloween Candy Buyback. Participating dentists send candy to various military support groups, who then pass the treats along to troops deployed overseas. In exchange, donors receive items including toothbrushes, coupons, cash or other creative exchanges.
• Contact food pantries and after-school programs to see if they accept candy donations.

Avoid making the same mistake next year. If your excess is due to overbuying, check out these tips from MSN Money to make sure you don’t wind up with more candy than you need next October.

• Buy one more bag of candy than you gave away last year (just in case). Save all receipts.
• Open one bag at a time.
• Hand out candy (instead of leaving it on porch), giving 1-2 pieces per child.
• Return all unopened bags the next day.

Photo courtesy of Rochelle, just rochelle.