Are we an example for our children?

By: Chinookwife

When people say Military, I don't believe they totally understand the sacrifice that is made with that job. Our children are the unseen hero's behind our soldiers, just wanting time with their dad's, trying to understand the missed Birthday's, Christmas's and Easters. They are the ones worrying that every time dad leaves the house, will he return or will he be gone for a long time. The other day my 9 year old son, Elijah who is Autistic, was crying while my husband was getting ready for work. We tried to make out what he was crying about. As my husband was leaving out the door Elijah cried harder locked on to my husband's leg, begging him not to leave. Again my husband had to reassure Elijah, he was just going to the airfield not going to fight the bad guys.

Our children are caught in this cycle of emotions, that we as adults have a hard time handling, how do we explain it to our children who can't grasp the whole concept on goodbyes.

We as Christian Military mom's put our entire faith in God, that he will carry us through another deployment, another TDY, another field exercise. What we might not realize is our kids are watching, Watching how we react, how we handle stressful situations, how we handle loneliness and how we handle emotions. We are to be a Godly example to our children who are hurting from the separation, confused from the life of a military child. Directing them toward Christ when there is pain from our situations. Using our military lifestyle as a teaching tool for our children, showing them how to lay our problems at the feet of Jesus and having faith that he will carry them and see us through.

Our kids are watching, learning and soaking in how to get through life. Its what we show them. That will make them stronger, happier and content indivduals in any circumstance in life.

Holiday Seasons... Missing Dad

By: Patti

This time last year, my husband was deployed to Iraq. The holiday season is not only hard on a spouse when their husband is deployed - but the children feel it too.

Ways to help your children stay connected during the holiday season include:

1. Writing cards or notes to dad
2. Drawing pictures for dad
3. Baking yummy snacks to send over to dad
4. Taking lots of pictures, send those to dad - he will love the surprise and the children normally love taking goofy pictures :)
5. Arts/Crafts to send dad
6. Let your child participate in sending care packages

Tip: Remember, things you like doing with your spouse to communicate with him while he is away - children like doing also! :)

We are past Christmas, and heading into the New Year. Maybe now would be a good time for your child to start writing down things that he/she would like to do with dad when he comes home in 2008.