Life as a military child can be exciting but it also comes with unique challenges that many people may not see. Frequent moves, new schools, parental deployment, and saying goodbye to friends and neighbors more often than most kids do can create stress and uncertainty. For families in the Texas Gulf Coast region with strong military ties, these challenges can affect both children and adults.
That is why the American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces offers free resiliency workshops designed to give military children and adults tools to cope with the everyday stressors tied to military life. These workshops bring participants together in supportive settings where they can share experiences and learn practical skills to navigate change with confidence.
For children ages 5 to 17, workshops teach emotional regulation, communication, and peer connection. Activities include sessions like Roger That Communication Counts, which focuses on self confidence and effective communication, and Operation 10 4 Confident Coping, which helps kids manage stress through hands on activities. A simple and memorable activity asks kids to imagine whether they want to be like water or like a shaken can of soda. This helps them understand how emotions can feel big and overwhelming and how they can choose calm responses in stressful situations.
For adults, the program offers workshops on topics such as connecting with kids, defusing anger, stress solutions, and trauma talk. There are also mind body workshops where attendees learn foundational tools to reduce stress and improve personal wellness. Participants practice breathing techniques, mindfulness exercises, and body awareness to better manage stress and support overall wellbeing.
These programs are facilitated by licensed mental health professionals trained in military culture and child development. Families stationed, living, or transitioning through the Texas Gulf Coast can especially benefit from these programs. With several military installations in the region, resiliency workshops provide community, connection, and shared experience for both children and adults.
Parents and caregivers say workshops help their children and themselves talk about feelings, understand them, and build confidence in handling big changes. For many military families, knowing they are not alone in what they are experiencing gives them resilience they can carry from base to base and from school to school.
If you would like to learn more about resiliency workshops for military children or adults in the Texas Gulf Coast area, or to find a session that fits your family, contact your local American Red Cross chapter or visit redcross.org for upcoming schedules and resources.
Texas Gulf Coast American Red Cross 