Parenting in military life can be extremely difficult, especially for the service members who miss milestones and holidays in their children’s lives. Kids don’t always understand why daddy can’t be there, and nothing can crush a heart faster than your child asking where you were on her birthday. But even when military life strains our hearts, military fathers are blessing their children in more ways than they know. For this Father’s Day, here are just 10 of the hundreds of ways we see military dads blessing our families and our children.
They show our children what it means to be selfless. Especially as kids begin to understand the reality of dad’s job, they realize just how much he’s willing to give up for others. There is no greater example of love in our world (John 15:13).
They love our families fiercely. Military fathers may miss out on some parts of our kids’ lives, but when they’re home, they make the time count. They love our children so deeply that no distance in time or space could hinder it.
They live with conviction and show our children what it is to not just believe in something, but to take action on those beliefs.
They embody courage. Both in the way they do their jobs and in the lessons military children must learn as a result of this lifestyle, military fathers teach our children to stand up for what is right, even when the cost is great.
They demonstrate dedication by showing up and giving their all, even when that’s the hardest thing to do in the world — our children see it and learn to live that way too.
They know what respect means and model it for our children because they recognize and honor value in others and in the world.
They give our children a great adventure through this lifestyle, filled with unique opportunities to learn and explore.
They teach our children to be strong, because they are strong when it matters most.
They show our children the true value of freedom, because our families know what it costs.
Our children learn “grit” by watching their fathers persist in the face of incredible challenges.
