Two Words, One Answer.
Deployment
 365 Deployment Days: A Wife's Survival Story $12.95 The book was great! I wasn't sure how I would react or handle our first deployment. I have always been strong and independent but I was facing new challenges being an Army wife. This book allowed me not to feel so crazy and realize people go through the same obstacles. As everyone does deal with things differently or face different challenges when it comes down to it we are all dealing with a spouse/loved one being gone. When reading the book it made me feel that I wasn't alone with my thoughts and I wasn't crazy for the emotions I was having. The book touched on many issues while facing a deployment and it was great to read it from a personal expereince. I've already recommended the book to others!  Surviving Deployment: A Guide for Military Families $19.95 I love this book. I'm preparing for my husband's first deployment and this book is a life saver. It's full of lists and a time line to complete them as well as pages of things you may never have thought about in the first place. I've read 5 different books about deployment and this is by FAR the best I've come across.  I Miss You!: A Military Kid's Book About Deployment $12.98 I borrowed this book from the local library and I loved it so much that I had to go out and purchase it. While it is for children a little older than toddler age, any book especially one about a sensitive topic such as a deployment, should be pre-screened by parents. I used to be in the military myself but was never deployed. Having my husband deploy has been difficult on the whole family. I really did not know exactly how to explain things to my very intelligent almost 7 year old child (who is more like 6 going on 26!) This book really opened up the communication with my daughter and her feelings about Daddy's soon-to-be departure. She is a very boisterous girl and has a wonderful outgoing personality, but not when it comes time to discuss serious matters and feelings. The book really brought out a lot of information and opened up a great forum for the three of us to have a discussion. Great things in the book! For example, it explains that is ok to have so many different emotions - that it is ok to cry and it feels good to cry. It is ok to be angry sometimes and to punch something soft like a pillow or to go outside and kick a ball. It explains that although the child may be worried about her parent who is deployed, her main job is still to go to school, be a kid and have fun. It explains that the parent that is home with the child may be a little more tired than usual because she is doing the her chores as well as Daddy's chores. It explains what a deployment is and other things that come along with deployments. The book explains that the deployed soldier may not know exactly where they are going or they may know but are not allowed to tell anyone. Same thing with dates of return. They may know a time frame that they will be back - but not necessarily the exact date. Again, as a former soldier, I was able to appreciate that this book uses soldier as either the MOTHER or the FATHER - which is very common nowadays. The author interchanges the sex of the soldier which I think is absolutely wonderful! There are more great things to this book - I don't want to give it all away. I HIGHLY recommend this book to all parents and children of someone who is deploying/deployed. Age ranges I would suggest are 5 - 8, but it depends on the maturity/comprehesion of the child. |
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