School to open: Let’s get off to a good start

Published Aug. 6, 2010
By Brig. Gen. Ed Wilson
Commander, 45th Space Wing

PATRICK AFB, FL. -- I know many of our kids are probably denying this fact, but school begins Monday in Brevard County. For many kids, the first day of school is an exciting day - at least it always has been in the Wilson household. For those kids, like mine, who are going to a new school, there is an added level of excitement, also.

The first day can hold promise, concern, new hopes, old worries, great expectations and gut-wrenching fear.

Sometimes all at the same time.

It's not always easy being a kid, especially a military one who has had to jump from school to school on more than one occasion (sometimes in the middle of the school year). Being a military brat myself, I know the feeling.

Now add the possibility of a deployed parent to the equation. That can almost certainly add another variable to the upcoming school year.

Kids are way smarter than some of us give them credit for. It's only natural for them to pick up on what their Moms and Dads think about things.

Do you value education and the doors it can open down the road?

Does the absence of Mom or Dad to a deployment make things tense around the house?

Kids see - and feel - all these things.

So how can we help our kids get off to a good start?

Well, Lisa and I aren't experts, but it seems fairly obvious that the number one thing we can do to help our kids with school is pretty much the same thing we do with every other issue that comes across the table - by just "being there."

Being there to talk. Being there to listen. Being there to share the day-to-day things that are going to come up in every child's life. Being there to listen again.

What's more important than that?

Our kids may be starting back to school Monday, but we know we'll all be making that first step of a long road ahead with them. And we'll be with them every step of the way.

Thanks for all you do.

NOTE: Our wing has a huge number of resources available to help you with lots of issues related to children. Contact the Airman and Family Readiness Center at 494-5675 if you need specific help.