The Department of Defense has announced that many of our Military Branches will be deploying starting next month. I remember when we found out that our daughter was to deploy, we had less than 30 days to prepare for our granddaughters to come live with us.
Our daughter was briefed on her deployment and as guardians to our granddaughters I searched for information, but did not find information helpful to our specific family issues. Here are a few tips that helped me-
- The first step is to select a room and make it comfortable. Kids need to have pictures of their parents and family in their room.
- Be sure you have all the legal and medical documents and any recent health issues.
- Prior to enrolling, contact the school and find out if they have uniforms or special dress codes. This will help minimize your stress level and become more prepared.
- Allow the child to bring their favorite toys and books with them
- Be aware of all medications and any health information, along with immunization records
- Calendar can be placed in the kitchen or bedroom to note homework project due dates and letting the child cross of each day, minimizing their anxiety
The USMC family website www.marineparents.com has a large amount of category topics to help support the family. I am searching for Navy, National Guard and Air Force family supporting website. If you know of any please let me know.
