koping with kids and frequent deployment

So I guess this is the best place for this post... How does everyone deal with their so's frequent deployment and having kids? Better yet how are the kids handling it? I really want kids and sooner than later, but I'm afraid he's going to miss out on everything being gone more often than not. Advice support, all of that would be nice. thanks

Well, my son is 2 1/2, and hes been watching the Elmo Deployment DVDs you can get offline. Thats really been helping. He knows " Dad Dee on da boat in da wee wah" ( Daddy is on the boat in the water). You just have to ask yourself. Would you guys rather him miss out on some important moments, or not experience them at all/long time because hes gone? He won't miss out on everything, but some things yes.

Navy life to children is hard. But if ya think about it. If they are raised that way, then its a bit easier for them.

I had no idea there was elmo deployment dvds lol. so cute!

Our daughter is 6, our son is 2 and we just had another son in March. For our daughter is was really hard on her when Ty left on deployment....she was so afraid that he wasn't going to come back (long story.....her BIO father left her when she was 2). For our son he was only a little over 1 when Ty left for deployment....he didn't really know what was going on but I could tell that he knew something was different. With this one....Ty when leave here soon! So he will only be a few months old.....I am sure that he's not going to know what's going on but it's hard!

Ty has missed out on alot of things with the kids! Even though he's missed out on things there are still things that he has been there for......it still sucks to have them gone during some of those times but you just have to rearrange things! We have celebrated birthdays for the kids early due to him leaving...just so that he can be here for all of it! It's never easy.....but then again that's part of the military life! As much as it sucks I don't think I would change anything!

The Elmo DVD definately comes in handy with kids!

thanks ladies, I like the idea of celebrating things early b/c it really is about the family and the significance of the holiday rather than the particular day itself. I'm sure I'll hate it and complain at first (I like to get things of my chest lol), but then I'll become resourceful like us women are and build my life around it. How do your hubby's take it, that's one perspective I never relly thought of.

Ty takes it hard anytime he has missed something that has to do with the kids! He feels like everytime that he goes out that he misses something! I try to tell him that he will be there for another things but I still kills him!

I've come to take TONS of pictures and videos of the new things the kids are doing! As much as he would like to be there for everything the pictures and videos are nice for him to have around....especially on deployment!

yeah that's a great idea!

He has missed a lot of stuff and joshua misses him a lot because he knows hes gone and working on the ship. Last deployment he missed Kassidy being born because of an extension. But he got home when she was 2 months. But when he is gone we survive its not as bad as most people think. yes we miss him but it dosent stop us from having fun and doing stuff. And dh love getting pictures of us while hes gone