For babies and toddlers, stability is everything. But military families often live in a world of constant change. Deployments pull parents away. Homes shift. Routines get disrupted. Relationships stretch across time zones. It’s a lot for adults, but for babies, it can shape how they trust, connect, and feel safe in the world. In this course, we’ll explore what it means to grow up in a military-connected family and why these early years matter so much. We’ll talk about the unique challenges military families face—especially here in Texas, home to 14 U.S. military installations—and the strengths that help them adapt. Together, we’ll focus on what professionals can do to support stability, nurture connection, and help even the youngest children feel safe, no matter where their journey takes them.

A NICU stay rewrites the first chapter of a baby’s life. Instead of lullabies, there are alarms. Instead of skin-to-skin, there are wires and masks. Bodies heal, but nervous systems remember. Parents carry their own marks too—grief, guilt, and the fear of getting too attached in case something goes wrong. And when discharge day finally comes, the anxiety often tags along for the ride home. In this session, we’ll sit with both stories. Two parents, Jaxon’s mom and dad, will take us inside their six-week NICU experience, sharing the messy mix of hope, hurt, and hospital humor it took to get through each day. We’ll talk about how early medical trauma shapes infant brain development and bonding, why a caregiver’s mental health is just as critical as oxygen saturation, and how professionals can keep showing up long after the monitors stop beeping.