Deployed Parent Fact Sheets

Deployment is a very stressful time for all family members — especially children. The uncertainty of when or if things will return to normal can make a child's life very difficult. This separation can be a time of worries and needs. What can you do to help make this difficult time easier for your children? There are a few ideas in these fact sheets to help you and your children. There are two series for deployed parents:

Pre-Deployment

Talking About Preparing to Leave - Deployment is a very stressful time for all family members-especially children. The uncertainty of when or if things will return to normal can make a child's life very difficult. This separation can be a time of worries and needs. What can you do to help make this difficult time easier for your children? Here are a few ideas to help you and your children.

Maintaining Relationships with Children When Leaving -  When you receive a deployment assignment, it is important that your children understand what this means and what will happen when you are gone. How you handle your emotions will affect how they deal with their own feelings. Likewise, it is important for your children to know that you will still be communicating with them even though you are away. Here are some suggestions.

Keeping Routines When Preparing to Leave - Children like and need routines. Deployment often makes it necessary to change some aspects of family life, but when children know what to expect it helps them feel safer and more secure. Here are a few ideas to help you and your children maintain routines during this time.

Saying Goodbye to Children When Leaving - As you prepare for deployment, you may have many different emotions, ranging from excitement regarding a challenging assignment to guilt and sadness about leaving your family behind. For children, the main feeling is sadness; therefore, it is very important that they have help dealing with your leaving. You may have little time for good byes. Here are some suggestions for reminding your children that you love them and that they will be in your thoughts.

When Single Parents or Both Parents are Deploying - Deployment is a stressful time for all families, but when single parents or both parents are deployed, there are some extra challenges. Children will feel more uncertainty and so will parents. Here are some ways to help.

Reunion

Preparing Yourself to Return - The reunion of your family can be a building block or a stumbling block. What can you do to help you and your children adjust during this time?

Expect Changes When You Return - Although you know things have changed at home while you were away, you can't help thinking that everything will be the same. You will be surprised by at least one thing that has changed. You may be surprised by lots of things. As you begin to think about going home, consider what may be different. This is a good way to begin to deal with possible changes.

Getting to Know Your Children Again - Here are some suggestions for getting reacquainted with your children when you return from deployment.