5 great things about raising kids in the Forces

Serving in the Armed Forces isn't just a job, it's a lifestyle. It also becomes your kids' lifestyle, which is something many would-be parents are concerned about. However, being in the Forces shouldn't go in the con list when you're weighing up whether or not it's the right time to have children.

Being in the Armed Forces actually provides a whole range of benefits for families and children, as well as great opportunities they might not get the chance to enjoy otherwise. So if you're worried about what it means raising children when you're in the Forces, here are five pluses to doing so:

A great sense of community

You might worry about moving around a lot, being stationed in different places throughout the UK or even in other countries, but no matter where you go, there will be a great sense of community. 

Every base will have other Forces families, including children so your little ones will always have friends around. You'll do everything with other families who have one or more members serving, so you'll make connections quickly.

Even when you or your partner is deployed, your family will benefit from this community, which ensures support and friendship is always close by, just what you need when raising kids away from other members of your family.

They'll have plenty of confidence

Meeting so many new people and going to different places throughout their lives will mean that your children grow up to be incredibly confident. They'll be happy to talk to others and get stuck in even if they are new because they will have done it before.

Kids raised in the Forces learn quickly that it doesn't pay to be a wallflower, so you'll see their confidence levels bloom as they grow up, which is something that will really benefit them in later life.

They will be introduced to lots of cultures

Moving around a lot and living in different areas and countries helps to ensure that your kids experience a variety of cultures. This is a great education and will help them to understand how different people live.

Most children only get a glimpse of other cultures when they're on holiday, but being in a Forces family allows them to get more immersed in them when you're stationed somewhere. This broadens their horizons and is a great way to learn about history, food, language and other things. 

They'll understand the importance of respect

The Armed Forces are built on the idea of respect and this is something your children will grow up understanding completely. Not only will they respect those who serve in the Forces, they'll understand how important it is to act in a respectful way toward authority figures as well as commanding officers. 

While children in any family are told to respect people like teachers and the police, your kids will see their parents, friends and other service personnel showing this respect and so it just becomes second nature. This can make for polite and conscientious children, which is never a bad thing.

Good behaviour is more common

When you're living on a base, children grow up knowing that bad behaviour is likely to get them more than a slap on the wrist from a parent. Their behaviour does more than reflect on you and could land them in a lot of trouble if they aren't careful, so they aren't going to act wildly. 

While the chances of avoiding tantrums and bad behaviour completely are slim to none, you'll probably get more reprieves than parents who aren't in the Armed Forces.

Let us know what your favourite parts of raising kids in the Forces are.