Posts Tagged child care
Blogger Continues Parenting Challenge
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on May 12, 2010
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
May 12, 2010
elaine.wilson@dma.mil
A few months ago, I wrote a blog about my son’s propensity for snack foods and aversion to exercise. These habits led the doctor to warn me about his unhealthy body mass index during an annual exam.
I realized that day that I bore much of the responsibility for his weighty dilemma and immediately vowed to take action.
Since that day, my son has parted from his couch potato ways, thanks to some encouragement (and shameless bribery). My husband and I signed him up for soccer, bought a basketball hoop and ensure he plays outside for at least 30 minutes a day. Some days even go by where he seems to forget about his former best buddy, the TV set. Read the rest of this entry »
Programs Aim to Help Guard Youth
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on May 11, 2010
May 11, 2010
I wanted to share a great article, written by Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke of the National Guard Bureau, about National Guard children and the programs and activities that are available to them.
I hope our National Guard families find this a valuable resource:
By Air Force Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke
National Guard Bureau
Guard kids differ from active duty kids in only one way: access — access to support programs and access to peers who understand what they are going through.
Everything else is the same: missing their parents terribly when they deploy, counting the days until they come home and trying to keep their promise to “stay strong.”
Caylee Deakin was 13 when her father deployed with the Army National Guard. Read the rest of this entry »
Spouses Open Up on Child Care, Education
Posted by carol.bowers in Family Matters on November 9, 2009
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Nov. 9, 2009
Elaine.wilson@dma.mil
Since starting the “Family Matters” blog, I’ve written about the challenges military families face – the relocations, deployments, reintegration and school adjustments – in an effort to help ease military families’ burdens in some small way.
Military spouses Samantha Moore, Rondah Owings and Leanne Miller participate in a family member panel during the National Leadership Summit on Military Families at the University of Maryland, Nov. 9, 2009. DoD photo by Elaine Wilson
But after this morning, I feel like I’ve barely hit the tip of the iceberg. Earlier today, I heard firsthand from nine military spouses about the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, fears and frustrations military families face in their everyday lives. I was impressed and amazed by their courage and candor as they came forward to help initiate change.
The spouses were invited to offer their perspective on military life during a family member panel at the Defense Department’s first National Leadership Summit on Military Families today at the University of Maryland.
The summit drew more than 300 military and civilian leaders who provide support to military families. The participants gathered to discuss the effectiveness of the military’s family support and readiness programs as part of an ongoing effort to improve them.
The spouses represented each military service, active and reserve components, and ran the gamut from military life “newbie” to seasoned military wife. They were invited to share their experiences in the presence of leaders who have the power to help implement future change.
Home Visits Can Ease Baby-related Stress
Posted by Administrator in Family Matters on August 28, 2009
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Cao, assigned to guided-missile frigate USS Kauffman, holds his one-month-old daughter for the first time Aug. 5, 2009, after returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., after a four-month deployment to Latin America and the Caribbean. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Julie R. Matyascik
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Aug. 28, 2009
Bringing home an infant for the first time is a joyous, yet sometimes terrifying, occasion. Terrified is exactly how I felt when I brought my son, Jacob, home for the first time nearly six years ago.
My husband and I had separated months earlier, and my then-18-month-old daughter, Antonia, and I lived alone in a small, on-base house on Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.
The day I brought Jacob home was bittersweet. I was thrilled to have another baby, but I also was terrified about the prospect of single parenting two young children and working full-time in a military public affairs office.
Read the rest of this entry »
Military Programs Offer Child Care Solutions
Posted by Administrator in Family Matters on August 26, 2009
U.S. Navy Lt. Daniel Supple spends a moment with his family Aug. 7, 2009, in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, before departing aboard Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin. U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Eric J. Cutright
By Elaine Wilson, AFPS
Aug. 26, 2009
As a single parent, my mornings used to be a nightmare. I’d drag myself out of bed, quickly pull my hair back in the signature “I’m a mom with young kids ponytail,” and race to get the kids dressed, fed and out the door to daycare and/or school.
By the time I sprinted to my office, I was grumpy, disheveled, and usually sweaty. Not a good way to start the day.
And, here I was, an experienced single mom of two. I can’t imagine how tough it would be now, with a new baby and without my helpful husband handling most of the morning rush. But that’s the reality many men and women face when their military loved one deploys. The spouse left behind must quickly adapt to life as a single parent and all that entails.
Child care may be one of a multitude of issues you may be facing. If you’re in a before- or after-school bind, check out a Defense Department child development program. They’re tax-subsidized and usually less expensive than private child care. And they’ll care for children up to 12 years old. For teens, additional support can be found in military youth services and community centers.
Read the rest of this entry »