They Carry More Than Backpacks
A crayon drawing is tucked away into a deployment bag. Most bedtimes are with one parent. Every new school, new town, new start, military children carry more than most people ever see. That weight can run especially deep for children in Special Operations Forces (SOF) families.
These children, shaped by deployments and long periods of uncertainty, are remarkably resilient. That resilience also means they need relationships where they can name their feelings and trust they don’t have to carry hard things alone. That’s exactly what The Station Foundation’s virtual Emotion Coaching course offers our families.
It Begins With Us
Emotion Coaching reminds us that the first step in supporting our children is learning to better understand and regulate ourselves. When parents can recognize their own emotions and respond with steadiness rather than reactivity, they become a safer landing place for their children. This is not about being a perfect parent. It is about becoming a present one.
The Heart of Emotion Coaching
At its core, Emotion Coaching helps parents connect with their children through emotional awareness and healthy responses. Based on Dr. John Gottman’s research, it helps families move beyond managing behavior to understanding what’s driving it. When a child feels overwhelmed or withdrawn, those emotions are often communicating a need. Emotion Coaching helps parents see those moments not as disruptions or “bad behavior,” but as opportunities for connection and growth. When children feel seen and supported, they build confidence, emotional regulation, and stronger relationships.
Over four weeks, service members and spouses explore children’s emotional development, common parenting challenges, and tools for responding with greater understanding. This course equips them with skills that can strengthen the entire family system.
“This program gave me tools to look at my own emotions, which helped me recognize those feelings in my family members. I am taking the mantra “really listen” with me so that when my children are talking, I am listening not just to the words but the emotions behind them. Thank you.” — Emotion Coaching Participant
Honoring Military Children
As we honor the Month of the Military Child this April, we are reminded that caring for military children means caring for the environments they grow up in and the relationships that shape them most. Emotion Coaching is one meaningful way we come alongside SOF families with tools that foster trust, connection, and emotional health at home.
Position Announcement
The Station Foundation has retained the services of ThinkingAhead Executive Search. Interested applicants should send a resume and statement of interest to Heather Campbell, Partner and Executive Recruiter: hcampbell@thinkingahead.com. Here is a link to apply directly.
To learn more about supporting The Station, email Shannon Stacy at: sstacy@thestationfoundation.org
