Being married to someone in the military is not always peaches and cream. There’s the distance, unexpected schedules, moving rapidly, and the list goes on. Do you think milspouses just acclimated to this lifestyle or did their upbringing help to prepare them for this whirlwind life? To honor moms for Mother’s Day, I decided to survey military spouse bloggers around the world to find out the answer to one pressing question.
What is one thing your mother taught you that has helped prepare you for life as a military spouse?
“Growing up, my dad was not in the military but his hours were long and he traveled quite a bit for work. I witnessed my mom handling everything because my dad wasn’t around much. She coached our teams, she mowed the yard, she fixed the washing machine, and she handled all of the finances. Because of my mom, I didn’t grow up thinking that certain tasks were ‘woman jobs’ or ‘man jobs.’ I entered adulthood knowing that I could do absolutely anything if necessary and I’ve certainly put that can-do attitude to the test being to an Army soldier!”
-Karen from And Then We Laughed
“My mom taught me to value travel. She has always felt that money is best spent experiencing different cultures and seeing the world. She taught me that there’s adventure to be found everywhere, especially where you least expect it. And if you’re bored, that’s your own fault. Consequently, we have never been stationed in a place where I couldn’t find something to love and I look forward to every PCS, although the transition time is tough. Mom is also the only member of our family who has been to visit us at every place we’ve lived and we’re coming up on our 6th move in 8 years. She groomed me for this life, although she never knew this is how my life would play out.”
-Allyson from Magnolias and Mimosas
“I was/am a military brat. My mum taught us that every location is an adventure, that PCSing was lifecycle normal. The cycle being orders, move, settle in, normal, repeat. It was never a big deal. So I did that with my children, new places, new people, new schools were never an issue for them, even though our older daughter was quiet and shy, she still took relocations in her stride because we made new situations no big deal. She actually became our intrepid traveler and is a confident adult, as are our other three.”
-Leanne from LG Inspires
“My dad was a fire fighter, so he was gone a few nights a week and anytime we had a hurricane threat in S. Florida. Mom always held down the fort on her own and made sure that life remained as normal as possible when he was gone. As a military spouse with children, I always try to keep life as normal as possible, regardless of whether daddy is here or not.”
-Alejandra from Munchkins and the Military
“My mother worked from home, before it was cool, and raised four kids. She was available when we needed her, even if it meant putting off everything else. She remains available now, even though we are all adults and I have kids of my own!”
-Rebecca from What Rebecca Thinks
“My Mom taught me how to be independent because let’s face it, we are on our own most of the time. She was a single parent, so anything that had to be repaired we figured it out on our own. She also taught me how to live frugal (we didn’t have much money growing up) and that has come in useful, especially in the earlier years as a Military Spouse when the pay was pretty horrible lol.”
-Bridget from Nutty Hiker
“My mom taught me how important it is to get involved and be engaged in your community. She emphasized our ability and responsibility to contribute. She pushed me to be involved in school and it proved to be a good way to enjoy school life and continues to be a great lesson I use to enjoy each duty station.”
-Sara from Freedom Ring USA
“My mom has always taught me to stand on my own two feet. She worked more than one job on several occasions during my childhood, just to make sure my sister and I had more than enough of what we needed. In the process, she taught us about hard work, ambition, and independence. This has served me well in military life, because military spouses spend large amounts of time alone. Independence is essential and has inspired me to pursue my own interests and ambitions. Being my own person helps to fill up the time when my husband is away and makes our marriage stronger in the process.”
-Wendi from Strength 4 Spouses
This Mother’s Day and always, we salute all the fearless and amazing women who gave us life. It takes someone very special to be a mom. Mothers are also teachers and have given us knowledge. They have taught us valuable lessons that have, in some way, prepared us for life as a military wife.
© Strength 4 Spouses LLC, 2018
