Holding the Hard Together: Supporting Babies and Caregivers in Military-Connected Families

Course Summary

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 session, 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.

Learning Objectives

Describe key demographics and common stressors in military families, and how these shape infant and caregiver well-being.
Learn developmentally responsive strategies to support infants and toddlers navigating separation, transition, and reintegration within military-connected families.
Identify key resources and support systems available to military families and explore how to connect families to these resources in culturally responsive ways