When a parent is deployed with the military it can be very traumatic for the children left behind. Having things for them to do, that makes them feel a part of the family and helping the parent who is gone, is really important. Here is a list of things you can plan that should help ease the pain of having mom or dad gone.
Please rate my lens, bookmark me and come back soon.
Photo from Wikipedia by Cecilio_M._Ricardo_Jr
My parent's going to war
Get a map and place it on the wall and show the kids where mom or dad has gone. They can stick a pin in it or place a small flag on the map. They might get a sheet of stickers and put them where the parent is, where they are, where the grandparents are, etc.
Get the kids a tablet with lined paper and show them how to write letters to the parent. Here they can also use stickers and draw pictures.
Make a list of things that kids can do to cheer the family up like: do some chores, write letters, sing a song they wrote, tell their best joke and add your ideas to the list.
You might want to take a calendar and mark special days and holidays that will be happening while the parent is gone.
If the child (children) are old enough to write, suggest they keep a journal (see journals below in Amazon). Then when the parent comes home they can share the journal with the parent. That gets the parent caught up on events and thoughts the kids had while they were gone. Another thing you could do is tear out the page and send it to the parent each week.
You might have a cookout and invite other friends whose mom or dad is also deployed. You could also invite a new family that just moved into the neighborhood.
If you have a major holiday, i.e., Thanksgiving, while the parent is gone, turn on the tape recorder during the dinner so mom or dad can hear the conversations. Have the kids make a list of all the food that you had to eat. Take lots of pictures to send. Have everyone say a special message to the parent.
Have the kids write a poem and send it. To add even more fun have them make a secret code, write a message in the code and send both to the parent. Another neat letter to send would be made of words cut from the newspaper or magazines.
Take pictures of important events: new haircuts, birthdays, parties, etc. Let the kids take pictures. Have them take pictures of the family pets and tell a story to go along with the pictures.
Always remind the child that whether it is mom or dad that is at home or away....they are always a family.
Books for kids whose parents deploy
A Yellow Ribbon for Daddy
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Daddy's in Iraq, but I Want him Back
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $13.05 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Daddy Is a Soldier
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $9.00 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
More books on deployment
365 Deployment Days: A Wife's Survival Story
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/10/2008)
Life After Deployment: Military families share reunion stories and advice
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/10/2008)
I Miss You!: A Military Kid's Book About Deployment
Amazon Price: $9.60 (as of 10/10/2008)
Night Catch
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/10/2008)
Check out these books
A Paper Hug
Amazon Price: $6.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
A Year Without Dad
Amazon Price: $10.00 (as of 10/10/2008)
When Dad's at Sea
Amazon Price: $11.96 (as of 10/10/2008)
Married to the Military: A Survival Guide for Military Wives, Girlfriends, and Women in Uniform
Amazon Price: $10.40 (as of 10/10/2008)
Homefront Club: The Hardheaded Woman's Guide to Raising a Military Family
Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 10/10/2008)
Even more great books
The Magic Box: When Parents Can't Be There to Tuck You in
Amazon Price: $9.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
Mommy, You're My Hero
Amazon Price: $12.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
Love, Lizzie: Letters to a Military Mom
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/10/2008)
Uncle Sam¿s Kids: Moving Again Mom
Amazon Price: $13.22 (as of 10/10/2008)
H Is for Honor: A Millitary Family Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Alphabets)
Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 10/10/2008)
Wow I found you some more books
Daddy, You're My Hero!
Amazon Price: $12.73 (as of 10/10/2008)
While You Are Away
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
The Soldier's Tree
Amazon Price: $12.76 (as of 10/10/2008)
Separated By Duty, United In Love
Amazon Price: $7.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul: Stories to Touch the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit (Chicken Soup for the Soul)
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/10/2008)
Let's see what else I found
While They're At War: The True Story of American Families on the Homefront
Amazon Price: $11.16 (as of 10/10/2008)
Courage After Fire: Coping Strategies for Troops Returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and Their Families
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/10/2008)
Life After Deployment: Military families share reunion stories and advice
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/10/2008)
Help! I'm a Military Spouse--I Get a Life Too!: How to Craft a Life for You As You Move With the Military, Second Edition
Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 10/10/2008)
That Military House: Move it, Organize it & Decorate it
Amazon Price: $17.95 (as of 10/10/2008)
Journals for the kids
All About Me, Revised Edition: A Keepsake Journal for Kids
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
All About Me Teenage Edition: The Story of Your Life
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $10.36 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Writing Down the Days: 365 Creative Journaling Ideas for Young People (Revised and Updated)
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 1 to 3 months
Create! A Sketchbook and Journal
Avg. Customer Rating:
Amazon Price: $11.96 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Doing the Days: A Year's Worth of Creative Journaling, Drawing, Listening, Reading, Thinking, Arts & Crafts Activities for Children Ages 8-12 (Free)
Avg. Customer Rating: 
Amazon Price: (as of 10/10/2008)
Favorite links for kids
Fun Quizzes & Free Kid Games
Fun Quizzes & Free Kid Games!0 points
Funny Happy Birthday Greeting Cards and Gift Cards
Make Life Happy!0 points
Zoinkies! Cool Kids - Unusual and Fun
Zoinkies! Cool Kids - Unusual and Fun0 points
The Blossom Bunch
Laughter is in Bloom!0 points
http://www.blogger.com/home
Easy way to create a blog for your child which the more...0 points
For Grins
- Ann Tucker Blog - The Blogging Granny
- That Garage Saleing, Internet Blogging, Googling Granny.
- Memoirs Of A Sneaker Wearing Daddy Blogger
- That Sneaker Wearing Entrepreneurial Cartoonist Internet Guy's Daddy Blog
Del.icio.us bookmarks
- Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1 - Army News, opinions, editorials, news from Iraq, photos, reports - Army Times
- Why is a U.S. Army brigade being assigned to the "Homeland"? - Glenn Greenwald
- Army Anthropologist's Controversial Culture Clash | Danger Room from Wired.com
- English Russia " An Abandoned Coastline Defense Canon Battery
- Fotos der Deutschen Truppen in Afghanistan bei der ISAF - The Big Picture - Boston.com
Some of our Great Stuff on CafePress
Calendar Print
Price: 7.99
Journal
Price: 14.99
WeinerDuck Journal
Price: 14.99
Teddy Bear
A fun bumble bee heart design. This pop art image makes a great sweetheart or Valentine's Day gift.
Price: 17.99
Great Stuff on Amazon
Rediform A8004 Hardbound Da Vinci Notebook, College Rule, 11 x 8-1/2, 150 Pages, Saddle-Color
Amazon Price: $13.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Black N- Red(R) Wirebound Notebook/Journal, 1 Subject, Ruled, 8 1/4" x 5 7/8", Black/Red, 70 Pages
Amazon Price: $4.45 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Sony C90HFL 90 Minute Audio Tape
Amazon Price: $1.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Pentech Color Workshop Colored Pencils 24ct (91268)
Amazon Price: $3.99 (as of 10/10/2008)
Usually ships in 24 hours
Are our ideas helping?
|
auberginecouch
Great lens, though a little heartbreaking... I don't envy army families, I know a couple of military fmailies and it's always so difficult when either mum or dad gets deployed. Posted August 24, 2008 |
|
CourageCommunity
Please help spread the word about a new online veteran support network, The Courage Community. It's a free, non-profit, non-partisan, apolitical online social network and resource portal for veterans, their friends, families and supporters. Visit www.CourageCommunity.org to join... Always confidential, always free. Posted August 13, 2008 |
|
Dariana
I am a Military Mom. My son and his wife are currently in the Army. Thanks for this info. Posted October 21, 2007 |
|
grannyann
I hope my ideas help when you have a family member deployed. Posted August 16, 2007 |
