Category Archives: Change

Great Grandparents caregiving their grandchildren

I am fortunate to have very healthy parents. My mom offered to stay with my granddaughters, while my son in law traveled overseas to visit our daughter. My granddaughters were so excited to have my mother come visit them and spend a week together.I wondered how many great grandchildren get this opportunity? My mom is going to learn how this generation handles day to day life.

My granddaughters did get to know my grandmother, their great, great grandmother. We had many fun times together.

I think this really gives kids a great foundation of family life. I hope someday to know my great,great grandchildren. We will see what happens!

The grandkids are back, but I am mobile!

It’s happening again. Our daughter is leaving for a lengthy assignment.

This time the granddaughters are staying in their home with their step dad. He is a great guy and wonderful caregiver to our granddaughters. In fact, my granddaughters dedicated their book ,Deployed Kids to him when he was our daughter’s boy friend.

This time I will be commuting once a month to Arizona to help out. It’s going to be very different this time while my daughter is away. But we have known this was coming for some time. No matter how prepared you are for a loved leaving, your not prepared for all that you have to do when they are gone.

While she is away, my granddaughters and I are working together on having our own radio on demand show on thenew Military Appreciation Channel. Our show will be called – Families Called to Duty. Our show should be aired in January. It is so much fun working with my granddaughters on something so worthwhile.

Thank goodness for technology so I can be mobile.

How to help your solider reintergrate

This weekend I will be speaking Army Reserves families who’s loved one will be returning from their deployment in 30 days. This is a very exciting time for the solider returning and their families. I remember when my daughter returned from her deployment. Thinking about us all being together again seemed like a dream. But it was real.

I am excited for those families, but I know they will have a job ahead of them. They will have to adjust to their loved being a changed person, and realize they have changed also. They will have to be patient and allow their loved one time time to adjust to living state side. They will have to flexible at including their loved back into their daily routine.

Deployment not only changes the solider, it changes everyone -Spouses Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, cousins and family friends. It takes time adjusting back, but it does feel good be together again.

Our family gained a better understanding of our daughter’s deployment and the steps you have to take, when she had to re-intergrate.

In my speech I plan to share tips with the families in hopes of making their integration a smooth one.