Building and maintaining strong family connections during a deployment is essential for the emotional well-being of both the deployed service member and the family members at home. Despite the physical distance, there are numerous ways to foster a sense of closeness and ensure that family bonds remain strong throughout the deployment period. Here are several strategies and ideas on how to stay connected as a family during deployment:
Regular Communication
Maintaining consistent communication is crucial. Although the frequency and method of communication may vary depending on the deployment location and military regulations, there are several ways to stay in touch:
- Video Calls: Schedule regular video calls through platforms like Zoom, Skype, or FaceTime when able. Seeing each other’s faces can help bridge the distance and create a more intimate connection. This is great for children, especially at ages when they may not understand the reason for the family separation.
- Phone Calls: Regular phone calls allow one to hear each other’s voices and share updates about daily life.
- Emails and Letters: Written communication, whether via email or traditional letters, allows for more thoughtful and reflective exchanges. Letters, in particular, can be kept as keepsakes and re-read whenever comfort is needed.
- Voice Recordings: If real-time communication is challenging, sending voice recordings is a personal and heartfelt way to share messages.
Share Daily Life
Involving the deployed family member in the daily life of the household can help them feel connected and informed:
- Photos and Videos: Send photos and short video clips of everyday moments, such as family meals, school events, or weekend outings. This helps the deployed member feel included in the family’s routine.
- Shared Journals: Keep a family journal where everyone writes entries about their day, thoughts, and feelings. The deployed member can also contribute entries when they have time.
- Family Calendar: Use a shared online calendar to mark important dates, such as birthdays, anniversaries, and special events, so everyone is aware of family milestones.
Creative Connection Ideas
Get creative with ways to stay connected and engaged with each other:
- Care Packages: Send care packages filled with favorite snacks, personal items, and handwritten notes. Themed packages, such as holiday or seasonal themes, can add a fun element.
- Reading Together: Choose a book to read together as a family. Each person can read the same book or chapter, and then discuss it during calls or in letters.
- Watch Movies Simultaneously: Plan a movie night where both the deployed member and the family watch the same movie at the same time. Share reactions and thoughts about the movie afterward.
- “Hug A Hero Dolls”: For children of all ages, a Hug A Hero Doll allows for continued familiarization and connection with the deployed parent. Bonus if you get the voice recording, your child can press and hear their deployed parents voice whenever they want.
Emotional Support and Understanding
Acknowledging and addressing the emotional challenges of deployment is essential:
- Counseling and Support Groups: Seek out counseling services and support groups for military families. These resources can provide coping strategies and a sense of community. Resources like Military One Source and Military Family Life Coaches (MFLCs) are great places to start. The Cohen Veterans Network has clinics for in-person and virtual support groups for those of all ages; check out their website to see if there is a clinic near you. If more connection or counseling is needed, TRICARE offers mental health resources that are available virtually or can be sought in person.
- Open Communication: Encourage open and honest communication about feelings and experiences. Family members need to express their emotions and support each other.
Keep Traditions Alive
Maintaining family traditions and rituals during deployment can provide stability and a sense of normalcy:
- Maintain Traditions: Keep family traditions alive, even if the deployed member is not physically present. Celebrating holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions can provide a sense of continuity and normalcy.
- Virtual Participation: Involve the deployed member in family traditions via video calls or recorded messages. For example, they can read a bedtime story over video call or send a recorded message for a family holiday celebration.
- Photo Albums: Create a photo album documenting family activities and special moments during the deployment to be shared with the deployed member upon their return. Or share through a Google folder during the deployment to keep the deployed service member in the loop.
Prepare for Reintegration
Planning for the return of the deployed member can help ease the transition and build excitement:
- Countdown Calendar: Create a countdown calendar to mark the days until the deployed member’s return. This can be a fun and visual way to build anticipation.
- Welcome Home Plans: Involve the entire family in planning a welcome home celebration. This could include decorating the house, planning a favorite meal, or organizing a special outing.
- Discussing Expectations: Discuss expectations for reintegration, acknowledging that it may take time for everyone to adjust to being together again. If you aren’t sure what to expect or where to start, check out resources on Military One Source on reintegration or reach out to e MFLC.
Military families can build resilience and maintain strong connections despite deployment challenges by employing these strategies. Fostering communication, sharing daily life, engaging in creative connection activities, providing emotional support, and preparing for reintegration all contribute to a sense of unity and support that can sustain families through the hardships of deployment.