Deployed Parent: Deployment Checklist

The checklist below has ideas for maintaining your relationship with your children while you are away.

Parenting While You Are Away

Deployment is a stressful time for all family members, especially children. Even though you may be miles away, you are still a parent. There are things you can do during this time to maintain closeness with your children and to ease their stress. Use the checklist below as a guide for maintaining closeness with your children while you are away.

As a Parent, I:

___ Maintain communication with my children as often as possible through letters, e-mail messages, audio tapes, and/or videotapes.

___ Maintain communication with my children's caregiver as often as possible.

___ Participate in making family decisions.

___ Take an interest in the everyday events in my children's lives.

___ Answer my children's questions openly and honestly in words they can understand.

___ Reassure my children often that they are cared for and safe.

___ Reassure my children that I will do everything I can to stay safe.

___ Encourage my children to share their feelings with me.

___ Praise my children for helping out while I am gone.

___ Encourage my children to continue routines and family celebrations while I am gone.

___ Remind myself that everyone, including myself, might change while I am gone.

___ Talk about plans for a reunion with each of my children.

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