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.