The Coronavirus Outbreak Shifts Military Childcare and Youth Programs

The Coronavirus pandemic affects lives of military families in Utah at Hill AFB, throughout the nation and abroad. With CNN reporting that one in three Americans have been ordered to stay home, our service members, their families, and veterans struggle as they are battling challenges ranging from financial hardships to being fearful of the unknown.

But one of the key demographics that suffer the most during this quarantine are the lives of our military children. In part 2 of Empire Resume’s Military Life and Coronavirus series, we discuss how this pandemic impacts the military childcare program as well as U.S. DoD schools.

Childcare Program and School Cancellations Due to COVID-19

In efforts to stop the spread of the virus and heed to the social distancing warnings, military child and youth programs are cancelling and shutting down due to the recent crisis.

According to a recent article published by Stars and Stripes, the Navy has canceled all part-time childcare services for children ages 12 and up.

Childcare, youth programs, and schooling may be impacted differently based upon the decision of commanders at your installation and branch of service.

Be sure to check all relevant authorities and official guidance from your respective branch regarding these closures, cancellations and operation limitations in on-base childcare and school.

What Does the Coronvirus Outbreak Mean for Military Parents With Children?

Childcare is already one of the highest stressors for family life in the military.

Moms, dads, and guardians across the country who are able to work remotely from home, must now care for their children during the day, in addition to meet the demands of their jobs.

The same applies to veteran-owned businesses and veterans who freelance. These individuals must now balance work and the needs of their kids.

Even if a parent, military member, or veteran was currently unemployed and searching for a job, this event raises the question of whether to try to go to work with a company who is hiring right now to bring in additional income or stay home with the child(ren).

Keep Military Children Safe, Healthy, And Busy During Quarantine

One aspect of military life that we must remember is that the military is full of brave boys and girls who learn to cope with change throughout their childhood.

Below are some tips from Empire Resume to keep children physically and mentally active during this time of isolation:

Home schooling
Create a daily routine
Make a chore calendar to distribute home cleaning tasks among family members
Play games (video games and old school board games)
Develop a new hobby (cooking and gardening)
Exercise (jumping jacks are fun)
Video chats and FaceTime with friends and family

Additionally, an article in Bustle suggests that military parents should have conversations with their children regarding the Coronavirus.

Arwen McCaffrey, mother of four who moved to Germany from South Carolina, says, “Our job as parents is not to scare them but to empower them with information about what they can do to keep themselves and others healthy.”

Dr. Phillip Gold is President/CEO of Empire Resume and has vast experience writing resumes for service-members transitioning from the military into civilian roles. He served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force responsible for leading nuclear missile security. Phillip is a Certified Professional Resume Writer and holds a BA in Communications from The Ohio State University, an MS in Instructional Technology, an MBA in Finance, and a PhD in Finance.