When your spouse is deployed, it is not only tough on you, but it is also a difficult time for your children. They will be missing their mother or father, and they sometimes counteract these feelings by pushing away the parent at home with them. By doing activities together, you help them realize that you are all in the same situation but you are going to face it together. These experiences may even bring you closer and help your children learn coping skills that will benefit them later in life.
Visit a museum
Your bonding activities can also be a great time for your children to learn. Take the family to an art museum and discuss which pieces you liked best. This will teach your kids to form their own opinions. You could also take them to a war museum, so they can learn the history of their mother's or father's military career.
Scavenger hunts
This activity is fun for both you and your children, and because you can do it indoors and outside, it is perfect for any season. Create a series of clues and watch as your children look for the prize. This will help them develop problem-solving skills, and it will distract them from missing their deployed parent for a few hours. If your children do chores, you could make the reward a free pass from them for a day.
Go to a park
Whether it be an amusement park, a water park or a playground, getting outdoors is an excellent activity to bond with your kids. The fun and carefree atmosphere can be a relief from the stress of deployment and gives your children a chance to be young.
Keep a reading log
Reading is a tried-and-true form of distraction. Sit down with your children and create a list of books you want to read together every month. Try to stick to a reading schedule. For example, set goals like a chapter a week and log them together. Not only is keeping a reading log a great way to keep your children from worrying about their deployed parent, but it also teaches them to set attainable goals.
Have a 'date' night
This is an easy way to make your children feel special and alleviate some of their loneliness. Make them the center of attention and spend an evening having a nice dinner out and follow it up with a funny movie. Keep it casual and lighthearted so that everyone can enjoy a stress-free evening.
Do arts and crafts
During your spouse's deployment, your children will likely be dealing with many emotions. Arts and crafts are a good activity to help them communicate those emotions. PBS has some excellent projects for children that are designed to help them work out their thoughts and feelings.
Take a trip
Pack up the kids and the car for a small weekend trip. A change of scenery can give your children a small reprieve from missing their deployed parent. Road trips are also an amazing opportunity to bond with your children.
Make a video
For an activity that will benefit everyone in the family, consider recording a video together for your family's deployed servicemember. The kids will get a kick out of making a video for their mom or dad, and your spouse will appreciate getting to see them.
Deployment will come with challenges, but there are many activities you and your children can do together to help you get through it. More than a few of these will help your children express the difficult emotions they may be experiencing and teach them important life skills. Additionally, the activities you do together during your spouse's deployment can bring you closer to your children.