Babies and Deployment... - Kids Coping with Deployment

MrsKola · 03-13-2008, 09:03 PM

Does anyone have any unique ideas to help a baby deal with deployment? We have a 9 1/2 old an DH is deploying for like 15 months in the next couple of days. I am so scared that when he comes home that the baby will not remember him and be scared.

Larissa · 03-13-2008, 09:09 PM

I know a lot of girls videotape their Dh reading bedtime stories or just talking to the baby.I'm sure that'd help & I know other girls will have lots of good ideas!

MichelleB · 03-13-2008, 09:12 PM

Show them lots of pictures and talk about Daddy a lot. Getting video recordings is a good idea too, of him talking to the baby or reading.

imjustme · 03-13-2008, 09:15 PM

Our ds is going to be a little over a year when dh deploys and I am planning on doing a couple of outings before he goes and taking a ton of pictures of them together and of the three of us as a family, and also doing some video of the two of them together. I hope just talking about daddy a lot of having lots of visual reminders will work. Another girl and I were talking about it last night and she said that's what they did and it worked pretty well for them. I hope you guys find something that works for you, in the end daddy is daddy and even if he doesn't take to him right away, they will get back into a groove once he is home.

HunnyBunny · 03-13-2008, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by MrsKola

Does anyone have any unique ideas to help a baby deal with deployment? We have a 9 1/2 old an DH is deploying for like 15 months in the next couple of days. I am so scared that when he comes home that the baby will not remember him and be scared.

well to be honest, I personally don't think it affects them much at all. DB left in December for 15 months and our daughter just turned 18 months this week. She does not act out at all that she misses him. She does talk to his pictures all the time and sees him on the webcam but never acts as if she's missing out. I was worried that she would be weird with him in May for r & r but I think she's going to be just fine with him. And best thing.... they'll never even remember this so it's a lot better than when they're like 5.

HunnyBunny · 03-13-2008, 10:52 PM

oh and.... get a build a bear and have them put the recording thingy inside so he can leave a message. Our daughter can hear his voice anytime she wants! It's really sweet and they also won't forget what his voice sounds like if they can hear it often. Then when they come home maybe they'll put 2 and 2 together.

Victoria · 03-13-2008, 10:53 PM

Originally Posted by MrsKola

Does anyone have any unique ideas to help a baby deal with deployment? We have a 9 1/2 old an DH is deploying for like 15 months in the next couple of days. I am so scared that when he comes home that the baby will not remember him and be scared.

Is that a baby or a child?!?

If a baby, he surely won't forget his Daddy as long as you constantly point to Daddy's photo on a daily basis. Like say "Good morning Daddy!!" "Good night Daddy" etc.

A build-a-bear with a sound byte of Daddy is helpful as well!!!

FC wifey · 03-13-2008, 10:55 PM

DH had a surge deployment when DS was that age, and he would get so excited when DH called, and then would cry when we took the phone away. He definetly knew! When DS was a little older we took him to build a bear, and they built one together, than DH recorded a message just for him. Alex used to play it all the time to hear his voice. Sometimes he would cry, other times he would talk to him. It helped him a lot. He was only about 18mo when we did that for him. Alex would play the message before falling asleep and cuddle with it at bedtime.

Kaymara · 03-14-2008, 08:17 AM

I agree about not forgetting daddy. Ash was like 10 months old when Rod left and she still points to his photo and says "dada". We look at photos daily and I always point out and tell her who they are etc. I also let her listen to his voice when he calls etc.

Soldierslove08 · 03-14-2008, 03:17 PM

OK the best idea I have is the build a bear! Have him make the bear say something special from daddy. My DB is going to be home about the time our daughter is due and my doc said even when they are little and he calls if you have speaker phone put it near your little one and let them hear dads voice a lot. So every little bit is great and as a few other girls said talk about daddy lots. I am not sure if it gets to all kids or not if they are not old enough yet then they wont understand just how long its been. But the build a bear idea is great that way they can hear daddy and take him with them ALL the time where ever to bed in the car wherever and still hear daddy! hope that helps.

03-13-2008, 09:03 PM	#1 (permalink)
MrsKola Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Fort Campbell, Kentucky Posts: 713 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 28%	Babies and Deployment... Does anyone have any unique ideas to help a baby deal with deployment? We have a 9 1/2 old an DH is deploying for like 15 months in the next couple of days. I am so scared that when he comes home that the baby will not remember him and be scared.

03-13-2008, 09:12 PM	#3 (permalink)
MichelleB With faith we can achieve all that we believe! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 16,362 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 1% Longevity: 77%	Show them lots of pictures and talk about Daddy a lot. Getting video recordings is a good idea too, of him talking to the baby or reading. __________________ Playing The Grocery Game since 7/12/2008 57% savings

03-13-2008, 10:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
FC wifey Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Great Lakes, Il Posts: 732 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 36%	DH had a surge deployment when DS was that age, and he would get so excited when DH called, and then would cry when we took the phone away. He definetly knew! When DS was a little older we took him to build a bear, and they built one together, than DH recorded a message just for him. Alex used to play it all the time to hear his voice. Sometimes he would cry, other times he would talk to him. It helped him a lot. He was only about 18mo when we did that for him. Alex would play the message before falling asleep and cuddle with it at bedtime. __________________ Thank you, BrentsCrystal! You are amazing!

03-14-2008, 08:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
Kaymara Behind every keystroke is a real person Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Somewhere over the rainbow Posts: 27,350 Classifieds: (7) Activity: 43% Longevity: 99%	I agree about not forgetting daddy. Ash was like 10 months old when Rod left and she still points to his photo and says "dada". We look at photos daily and I always point out and tell her who they are etc. I also let her listen to his voice when he calls etc. __________________ Surviving deployment #5

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03-13-2008, 09:09 PM	#2 (permalink)
Larissa Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Harrisburg,Pa Posts: 7,814 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 60% Longevity: 34%	I know a lot of girls videotape their Dh reading bedtime stories or just talking to the baby.I'm sure that'd help & I know other girls will have lots of good ideas!

03-13-2008, 09:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
imjustme Account Closed Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 13,980 Classifieds: (8) Activity: 7% Longevity: 42%	Our ds is going to be a little over a year when dh deploys and I am planning on doing a couple of outings before he goes and taking a ton of pictures of them together and of the three of us as a family, and also doing some video of the two of them together. I hope just talking about daddy a lot of having lots of visual reminders will work. Another girl and I were talking about it last night and she said that's what they did and it worked pretty well for them. I hope you guys find something that works for you, in the end daddy is daddy and even if he doesn't take to him right away, they will get back into a groove once he is home.

03-13-2008, 10:52 PM	#6 (permalink)
HunnyBunny Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 315 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 0% Longevity: 32%	oh and.... get a build a bear and have them put the recording thingy inside so he can leave a message. Our daughter can hear his voice anytime she wants! It's really sweet and they also won't forget what his voice sounds like if they can hear it often. Then when they come home maybe they'll put 2 and 2 together.

03-14-2008, 03:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
Soldierslove08 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 2,119 Classifieds: (0) Activity: 1% Longevity: 28%	OK the best idea I have is the build a bear! Have him make the bear say something special from daddy. My DB is going to be home about the time our daughter is due and my doc said even when they are little and he calls if you have speaker phone put it near your little one and let them hear dads voice a lot. So every little bit is great and as a few other girls said talk about daddy lots. I am not sure if it gets to all kids or not if they are not old enough yet then they wont understand just how long its been. But the build a bear idea is great that way they can hear daddy and take him with them ALL the time where ever to bed in the car wherever and still hear daddy! hope that helps.