{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/da\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/da\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 1 Talk to your child and understand why they want to go to war. Listen carefully to their reasons—you might learn something about your child that you did not know before. Make sure that they want to go to war in order to serve their country, and not to get away from something at home. If the reason they give is the latter, help them find a way to deal with their issues in a more constructive way.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/6d\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 2 Show your child how much you love them and would miss them if they left for war. Of course you should be showing them affection and gratitude throughout their lives, not just to stop them from enlisting, but emphasizing your emotions at this time may sway their decision.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8e\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 3 Show your child war statistics. There is a very real but slight possibility that they may return deceased, disabled or with psychological problems. Make sure they understand the risks. On the flipside, be fair about the benefits of military service. It can be a big career boost and teach valuable life and job skills. They will not find it difficult to find employment afterwards. Look at unemployment rates among veterans; they are staggeringly low. There is a very real but slight possibility that they may return deceased, disabled or with psychological problems. Make sure they understand the risks.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 4 Ask veterans you know to share their experiences. The best way for your child to make up their mind is to talk with an active duty service member and learn the truth from someone who knows it firsthand. An anti-war protester will paint a biased picture, as will a war supporter who has never been out in the battlefield themselves. Have your child talk to someone who is already serving, who you know will be completely honest about what they have gone through.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/81\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 5 Make sure that your child understands the operation of the military. Once a person joins the armed forces, they are not allowed to choose which wars they fight. They are obligated to serve their nation without question until they are discharged. Additionally, there is no set schedule of the hours your child will work. On average, service members in combat arms jobs work from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. While deployed, the military tries not to overstretch their work-load but when overseas, a service member typically works an average 9-12 hour day. While deployed, service members work through holidays and weekends. However, military salary is very sufficient. On average, a service member earns about 20% more than their civilian peers when you factor in all the extras. Once a person joins the armed forces, they are not allowed to choose which wars they fight. They are obligated to serve their nation without question until they are discharged.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/bf\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bf\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 6 Explain to your child that discipline in the military is absolute. The most common form of punishment is a "smoke session" and being yelled at, where the offending service member does intense physical exercise for a brief amount of time to remember not to make the mistake again.

{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/2a\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/2a\/Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/aid89956-v4-728px-Convince-Your-Child-Not-to-Go-to-War-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 7 Make sure they understand the commitment. Your child must know is that someone who joins the military cannot simply resign, on account of contractual obligations. The military invests a great deal of time and money into training each recruit. If your child decides that the military is not for them, help and support them to finish their current enlistment period. Recruits whose enlistment periods are cut short are not role models for your child; they are typically drug addicts or they go AWOL (absent without leave). The military does not tolerate drugs or people who cannot fulfill their contracts honorably. If your child has recently struggled with substance abuse or other serious personal problems, make clear to them that they are not suitable for the army's standards of conduct. Your child must know is that someone who joins the military cannot simply resign, on account of contractual obligations. The military invests a great deal of time and money into training each recruit. If your child decides that the military is not for them, help and support them to finish their current enlistment period.