Military Moms
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Military moms face unique challenges. During deployments and temporary duty, they're temporary single moms. If they're on active duty themselves, they must balance parenting with the needs of the armed forces. Add in moving, changing jobs and helping children adjust to new schools, and you've got a lifestyle that is both demanding and rewarding. Here at Type-A Mom, we know what it's like to stand in a military mom's shoes, and we're ready to share our experiences. Get tips on everything from being a frugal military mom to surviving the military lifestyle.
Military Moms Editor: Carmen Grant |
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Labeling is an important thing for moms, especially organizing freaks like myself. Mabels Labels have definitely helped organize my kids sippy cups, school items, and my moving life. We are moving overseas in just a few months and I am so excited to use this new system. When I received my sample set in the mail from the company, I started sticking labels on bins, and boxes right away. We keep huge plastic tubs instead of using cardboard boxes, and its funny how certain items just "want" to be in their designated tubs. Mabels Labels is helping me keep every tub organized with its rightful contents.
Read more: Mabels Labels Organizing System for Military Families
One of my favorite books for deployments is a book made by the Channing Bete Company called Write from the Heart. The book is an amazing deployment correspondence book where kids write about their days, tear out the page, fold it in thirds, write the mailing and return address, slap on a stamp and mail it to dad. It is so simple yet so genius at the same time.
Deployments are inevitable. They are a way of life for us military wives and with time they get easier and - dare I say - better. The key is in how you prepare for a deployment. Going into it with positive light will make it fly by. Dreading the day it comes all the way through the six months to a year and six months will cause strain on the relationship, the kids, and yourself. Choose to be positive and gradually build the confidence to know you will survive.
It can be hard to plan what you'll need on the plane, let alone what you will need when you get to your new destination. Knowing what you might need is important, and learning how to let go of things once you have to much is even more vital. Be smart about packing your suitcases, and travel light on the plane. It will relieve stress and make the flight go by in no time. Here are some ideas for parents and children.
November's National Military Appreciation Day should be viewed as this: Honor those that fight abroad for you, by fighting to protect your own freedom here at home. As a proud combat military wife, I want citizens to forget about giving servicemembers hugs, high-fives, and purchasing yellow ribbons to show their appreciation. While all that is appreciated, it is only as skin deep as attending a lung cancer awareness rally then going around the corner to light one up.
November is National Military Appreciation month. Nobody works harder at protecting American freedom than our brave men and women who deploy to combat zones, those who stay behind to guard the fort, and the brave spouses that stay behind guarding the the home. Families are supported by Readiness Programs that prepare them for deployments. The Army runs one of the strongest and most structured Family Readiness Programs out of all the services and the spouses are strong and resilient because of the success of the Programs. But nothing could have prepared the families of those who lost their lives under the fire of Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan at Ft. Hood on November 5th, 2009.
Whether you are a seasoned military wife with ten deployments down, or if this is your first one ever, it is necessary to get as much information as to what is normal, and what isn't. Deployments are a part of our lives as military wives and something we all need to get used to. Preparing your kids and yourself for a deployment is crucial to surviving the military lifestyle.
The military life is not easy for the servicemember or the family. Spouses are labeled as dependents (for God knows what reason since military spouses are dependent on nobody but themselves) have to be single parents for months at a time. They have to be independent, patient, and accept the fact that they are not the single most important thing in their spouses life. There are two important things in any married servicemembers life and those things are country and family. Neither is more important. They serve for their family, and the family has to work with or without them around.
It is a great time for military families to move overseas. Our needs are being met more thoroughly with more streamlined PCS moves (although still not perfect), better orientations upon arriving at a foreign post, stronger Family Readiness Groups that help ease the transition and a greater understanding of how to translate our lives here in the states over to a foreign country.
The recent influx of social networking sites like Myspace and Facebook are making it easier for military families to stay connected. Here at the command, many of us are connected through facebook, and with the implementation of the new EodWives website, we have a constant flow of information from there and Twitter.
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