There is a growing interest in supporting military children as
they move with their military family from one assignment to
another. As a result, there are some new initiatives in this
area. Many of the schools in various school districts are starting up
"penpal programs" for young people to write to each other and learn more about
the area. There is also the "Military Assistance Program's Youth
Sponsorship Program." A link to this website is provided in this
section.
Check with the Youth Center for support and sponsorship for your
child.There is limited employment opportunities available in the Kings Bay
area. There is a summer youth work program
available. There are opportunities for employment out in the
community.A wealth of creative, supervised youth activities are available
through the Youth Center. The activities are designed to be fun,
promote physical fitness and develop lifelong recreation skills. Sports include
soccer, football, baseball, T-ball, basketball, etc.For Teens Only
For more
information on this subject: see web link above
Military Teens on the
Move
COPING WITH RELOCATION TO SOUTH GEORGIA
It's tough,
sometimes, being a military "brat", particularly when you are forced to move
away from your friends and activities and start all over again in a new
area. There are some general hints to assist you, no matter where the
move may take you, and there are some specific facts about South Georgia which
may help.
Attitude, as in everything in life, plays a big part in how
well and how quickly you and your family adapt to the new assignment. Humor goes
a long way in relieving the stress that goes along with
relocation. Many teens adopt the attitude of "Shoot, I wouldn't know
how to clean my room, if I didn't move everything out first!" And
"Gee, I never would have had the chance to meet (you fill in your best friends'
names here) if we hadn't gotten this assignment. I wonder what "new
best friends" will await me in Georgia?" Or even "I wouldn't know how
to act, if I didn't move every (2, 3, 4...) years. I'd probably grow
moss between my toes!"
There are some great things about your move to
South Georgia. SUBASE Kings Bay is a modern Navy Base with superb facilities and
a wealth of recreational services. St. Marys has a beautiful
historical downtown area with parks, fishing piers, bike paths, and frequent
Special Events that attract members of all ages. Cumberland Island in
Georgia and Amelia Island close by in Northeast Florida have wonderful beaches
and lovely weather which is conducive to outdoor fun.
First, a list of
things to help you over the rough spots in the relocation would be
helpful. We all know that a transfer can be a tough time, with
periods of sadness at leaving friends and maybe even girl/boyfriends, perhaps
anger at parents for forcing us to move, excitement at the news of a new
assignment, frustration at the things to do, etc. etc. It is a
confusing time, to say the least! And they said being a teenager was
easy!
Many teens take the positive approach to the moving dilemma of
considering it a great time to do some "personal housecleaning" and a "wiping
the slate clean." After all, no one knows you yet in the Kings Bay
area. Are there some things you'd like to change about yourself, but
you've been stuck in a rut with the same circle of friends who won't allow you
to grow? Are your grades not what you'd like them to
be? Do you have the reputation of being too serious or too
studious? Or have you earned the notoriety (undeserved, of course) of
being the party person, the cut-up, the slacker? Do you want to be
more outgoing or more studious? Have you been identified with
"running with the wrong crowd", but don't know how to get out of
it?
Here's your chance to wipe the slate clean and start
anew. An easy way to do that is to play "let's pretend", like that
childhood game you used to play. PRETEND that you are friendly and
outgoing. Put on a big smile, and force yourself to introduce
yourself to other teens who look interesting or fun. Go out for the
school play. Join clubs you've always wanted to
join. Remember, you have no "past" in Kings Bay. People
will be willing to accept you at face value, and their first impression of you
will be a lasting one.
Experts say that one of the very best ways to
avoid or overcome depression in a relocation is to stay busy, help others to
cope with the move, help to organize the move, and to maintain a positive
outlook. That all sounds good when you read about it, but often the
reality of coping is a bit harder. Here are a few things you can do
now to make the move a little easier:
BEFORE THE MOVE:
Help gather
information about the new area. The more you know, the better
prepared you can be. Also, this can be a way to help yourself and
your family get acclimated to the new area more quickly.
Take part in the
planning of part of the move.
There are many things you can do to help at
this confusing time.
Sort out your own things, and make a box of "things
to take in the car", things I will need immediately upon arrival", and "things I
can give/throw away".
Offer to call charitable organizations to pick up
your discards.
Take charge of younger siblings and help allay their
fears. Help them to sort out their belongings, too.
Offer to
return library books; medical records, etc.
Take care of change of
address forms for magazine subscriptions.
Help to plan and carry out
weekly "Family Relocation Meetings".
Share all feelings and
emotions. Tell your family how you feel about the move, and ask about
their feelings.
Make a visit the school in the new area before enrolling,
or ask your parent(s) to visit the school while on their house hunting trip, and
take pictures, etc.
Make them a list of questions to ask, facts to
find.
For example, you might want to:
Find out about the typical
dress
Is there a dress code at the school?
Get a copy of the
school newspaper to learn about the activities and special programs
Learn
about credits required for graduation
Plan to become involved in an extra
curricular activity at the new school
What activities are
available?
Joining a club or organization helps find friends with similar
interests
Do they have some of the same clubs you are involved in now?
(4-H, Girl or Boy Scouts, Future Teachers of America, National Honor Society,
German Club, etc...).
Talk to coaches of sports teams in which you
participate
When are tryouts?
Are there any grades, age,
restrictions?
Tell all your friends you are moving.
Plan a
"farewell party" for yourself, and invite all your friends.
Get an
address book, and ask all your friends to put their names, addresses, phone
numbers, e-mail addresses in it so you can keep in contact.
As you are
cleaning out your "treasures", think about lending them to favorite
friends.
Think of a clever way to tell them how much you have valued
their friendship.
Maybe a favorite CD, stuffed animal, or piece of your
jewelry would be appropriate.
Fill out postcards with your new address,
and pass out or mail to favorite friends.
Use your network of friends to
find teens who have recently come from Kings Bay.
Ask them questions
about the area.
Ask if they know of anyone in Kings Bay to whom you could
write.
Find out about teen sponsorship programs.
Ask for a pen-pal
from your new school or from the Kings Bay area.
DURING THE
MOVE:
Ah, it is moving time again. Got the feeling that you
have "been there, done that, got the T-shirt"? Or is it "Deja-vu all
over again"? In any case, if you have moved a few times before, you
know that the few days before moving day, the day the packers come, moving day,
and the time on the road are intense, confusing, tiring
times. Everyone around you seems to be more uptight than usual, even
crabbier. It s an easy time for families to have more disagreements
than usual. Now that you are a young adult, you can help a lot to
make this time more sane and enjoyable.
Ask your parent(s) how you can
help.
Offer to babysit your younger brothers and sisters to keep them
occupied.
They will feel anxious and upset, and having a big brother or
sister to play with can help to keep them calm.
Help to organize boxes to
take in the car or on the airplane for important papers, passports, etc. as well
as activities to keep busy.
Help younger brothers and sisters pack a box
of their own "important stuff" to take with them
Pack your own suitcase
of clothes, toiletries, books that you will need on the trip to the new
location.
Keep in mind the time of year and the weather
conditions.
Also, have your parents planned an enroute
vacation?
Be sure to pack clothes appropriate for the
climate.
Help your little brothers and sisters pack their own special
suitcases, too.
It makes them feel special, and not so anxious, to have their
own personal "stuff" with them.
Maybe help them to decorate their own
bags (with parental approval) with bright stickers, their names,
etc.).
Each member of the family should have an "open me first" box, too,
which contains items that they will need immediately upon arrival.
Sheets,
towels, toilet tissue and a few dishes and pans would be useful
Act as
the "interviewing reporter" to find out what each family member wants in their
personal box, and then help them organize it. Find a creative way to
label each box.
ON MOVING DAY(!)
Help to keep things on track
by:
Keeping little ones occupied and out of the packers
/movers way.
Make sure they get regular naps and rest
periods.
Take them for walks or to the park to get exercise.
Don't
forget your family pets:
Make sure they are well exercised and fed and
watered.
Keep them out of movers' way.
Offer to take to boarding
kennels or pet transport.
Volunteer to mark down the boxes as they are
put onto the truck.
Plan meals for the family offer to order pizza, or go
pick up burgers or chicken.
Set aside an empty room for the "movers not
to pack"
Make a sign for the door to tell movers to keep out
Put
all items which the family wants to take with them in the room, and shut the
door (or lock it, if you can).
AFTER YOU ARRIVE IN SOUTH
GEORGIA:
Get involved in the community:
Consider getting a
part-time job to meet people.
Volunteer your time at a local hospital,
youth club, etc.
Play games with your family to help meet
people.
If you are of driving age, get acquainted with the laws and
customs, register the cars, take the younger siblings around, etc.
Help
design your new room and help your younger siblings to fix theirs up,
too.
Plan a schedule for contact with old friends
Set aside phone
time or video taping
A cassette tape instead of a letter can be
fun.
The SUBASE Kings Bay Youth Center provides programs to attract
teens by presenting them with the challenge of going beyond program attendance
and participation. Teen programs require youth commitment and
responsibility for programs. The teens are encouraged to obtain
ownership for program. Through participation in teen programs the
youth can create opportunities to discover new dimensions in their community and
within themselves.