Starting the New Year With Deployment

By: Stephanie

So here I sit without my husband, the one who helps me keep my sanity. I'm trying to learn how to be Mommy and Daddy to my three children...all of which LOVE their daddy. They seem mad at me as if it were my fault that he got deployed.

This evening, I encouraged the kids to sit down and draw pictures for their dad. That seemed to help, because no one is fighting or yelling or doing anything remotely mean to one another or to me for that matter. I showed my four year old a map of where his daddy is going, and it seemed after that he was okay with dad being gone.

Tomorrow is their first day back to school after the holidays. They all seem excited about going back which is a plus. I think getting them back on their regular schedules will be very helpful. My kids are the type that need structure and consistency.

I think the key to helping kids through deployments is keeping things as "normal" as possible. My kids need to know that their dad and I love them and I'll be here for them no matter what..that is something that will NOT change.