Shermaine Perry-Knights is on a mission to make military-connected kids feel seen and heard in a series of books she has written.
“Outside the base wall, there’s like this divide that existed,” she said. “It’s like nobody knew you existed unless you made one or two friends off the base.”
Perry-Knights has authored one book that is currently available, I Miss My Friend And That’s Okay – and has another, I Move A Lot And That’s Okay that will soon be published. Both explore how military kids form friendships across borders, cultures and lifestyles.
“Nobody ever gets us,” she said. “You have friends of all backgrounds, you grow up eating really cool food from all cultures.”
Perry-Knights attended around a dozen different Department of Defense schools in five countries while growing up.
“A little piece of my heart belongs across the globe, everywhere,” she said.
Related
A learning development professional by trade, Perry-Knights currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she realized that creating empathy for another person’s experiences was critical to effective communication.
“I sat at home and looked out the window, because everyone was home, and thought what can I do,” she said.
That led Perry-Knights to think about her childhood and ways she could help create empathy for today’s military kids.
“There are a few books out there, but not many of them push the military experience from a child’s perspective and not an adult talking about it to a child,” she continued.
After writing the book, Perry-Knights tested it out with a group of experts – today’s military kids themselves.
“They said this is me, this is about me,” she said.
Perry-Knights called the books a conversation starter for parents, teachers, counselors and community members who want to connect with military kids. And, she wants to create a movement to shine a light on their experiences.
She urged those who want to help in the effort to contact their public libraries about carrying the books so they are available to those who may not be able to afford to buy them.
Related
“If you put this in there, or you request it or donate a hard copy and donate it, you are helping more children than you know,” stressed Perry-Knights. “That’s how we keep spreading the movement.”
For more information about the book, visit here. Peryy-Knights also has a catalog with over 20 books, including journals for teen, coloring books and 9 children’s books for social-emotional learning.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.