The military community is no stranger to meeting new people. While adults may be able to navigate these waters, children can find it challenging. Family spoke with Navy spouse, Julia Priftis, who is married to Lieutenant Nick Priftis. They are currently stationed in Naples, Italy but live in Northern Germany.

How many times have you and your family relocated?

I've moved three times with my oldest—across two states and even the Atlantic Ocean for an OCONUS move. My youngest hasn’t moved yet, but that’s about to change this PCS season.

How do you encourage your children to make friends in new places?

My oldest has been in daycare since he was three months old—he’s my little social butterfly. Here in Germany, getting into sports or programs has been tough. He’s in a local school now, which has been great, but the cultural shift has been challenging. I’ve had to really put myself out there to help him make friends. We talk a lot about being inclusive and taking the lead.

My five-year-old is the definition of a military child—flexible and resilient. I’ll never forget being six months pregnant, my husband was underway, and it was just me and my son in Germany handling the movers. He stood beside me with his little “checklist,” confidently telling the movers where things should go. Watching him speak up and take charge blew me away.

When do you start talking to your children about making new friends?

As soon as we know we’re moving, I start the conversation. For our upcoming move, I’ve been proactive about finding activities for my oldest, giving him a way to meet people and feel stable. My hope is that wherever we go, we can find the same or similar activities to give him some consistency.

I always remind my son that sometimes we click with people, and sometimes we don’t—and that’s okay. It’s normal to miss old friends, but it’s also exciting to make new ones.

As a military family, we’re lucky to have friends all over. I’ve set up quick video chats or “play dates” with his old friends, even if it’s just 5–10 minutes. It helps him feel remembered and loved, which has really boosted his confidence to meet new kids.