When a spouse is sent away for deployment, adjusting to your new lifestyle can be challenging at first. You will likely have to make sacrifices and adjustments that take patience and time to get used to. From taking care of the children on your own to cooking or learning how to fix household products when they break, military spouses are forced to make a lot of changes very quickly.
It is essential to prepare as best you can before your partner leaves, as it is helpful to know what to expect and which resources are at your disposal to assist you through the adaptation process. Remember these suggestions on how to make the transition to life without your spouse easier.
Keep busy from the get-go
One of the first emotions you may feel after your spouse's deployment is loneliness. Although this is a difficult feeling to shake when you are used to having another person around the house – especially if you do not have children – staying busy will drastically improve your ability to focus on the positive aspects of your time alone.
If you do not have a job, consider starting a hobby that you are passionate about. If you have always wanted to create your own blog or become a member of a local sports team, now is the best time to start. After all, engaging in new activities is always beneficial to one's health and will help pass the time.
Spend time with loved ones
Remember that if you have children, they are probably struggling with your spouse's deployment as well. Spending quality time with one another is essential. Whether it be trips to the park to enjoy the nice weather or family dinners, being together and supporting one another is key to adapting to life during deployment.
Calling on friends can also provide a strong source of support for military wives and husbands. Creating new relationships or reconnecting with old friends will help fill the temporary hole that often emerges following deployment.
Use available resources for support
There are millions of spouses across the nation who are experiencing the difficulties of life after deployment. There are many resources designed to bring those in need of support together. If you are living on a military base, there may be a community group for spouses available right on site.
Meanwhile, programs like Child Care Aware of America were created to help military spouses with children. The organization will direct you to local care services and may even assist you with care fees. Military OneSource offers a list of resources and an explanation of benefits for men and women with a spouse in the army and even has categories for each stage of deployment, including pre-departure and return stages.
Be easy on yourself
Realizing that you are not going to be able to complete your daily routine as efficiently as you used to is something that you have to come to terms with before you can start successfully adapting to your new role as both mom and dad for your kids.
Do not forget that handling both your responsibilities and the tasks that your partner once took care of can be incredibly overwhelming, especially during the first couple of months during deployment. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself and remember that it will take time before you get the hang of dealing with all of these changes without running into problems. For example, if you find that you do not have time to cook you and your children an intricate dinner every night like you used to when your spouse was home, do not feel bad about ordering out or preparing a quick and easy meal for the family.