Does this ever get any easier?

Cloth on Bum, Breastmilk in Tum!

No, I don't think it does ever get any easier. At least not the first few weeks of it. But you've done this before, and you'll get through it again. You'll get into a routine soon enough, and just when you get used to it - he'll be home on R&R, and you get to start all over again when he leaves. :(

I've been lucky enough to not have to do a deployment since the kiddo was born, but I'm sure your babbies will keep you busy. I agree with the advice to stay busy - put the kids in every class/playgroup/library time you can! It'll keep all your minds off of it.

lconnor65

It never gets easier but you will learn to adjust better. You will find your own routine.

Be prepared for an emotional roller coaster. Try to stay positive and upbeat.

Your kids will be able to handle it better if you do. I know it is hard.

You can have your 5 and 3 year old make craft and art work to send to daddy.

You can send your husband a tape recorder and he can record messages to send back to the kids.

Find support with your family and friends.

This site can help you out as well. http://www.militaryonesource.com/skins/MOS/home.aspx

Julie

It's hard and right now you're a single mother (until he returns). I recommend if you're not a church member to find a good church and get involved with as much as you can. Put the 5 year old in piano lessons, dance, karate, cheer leading... not all at the same time but let him/her try lots of new things and they will decide what they like and what they don't like. Stick with what they like, it will be good for them to stay focused on something other than their dad being deployed. This will also help you stay focused on the important things... family. You can do the same with the 3 year old but different.

I recommend making a daily schedule and sticking with it. Visit your local library and let them each check out a book and read to you (you helping them, and probably doing most of the reading especially for the 3 yr old). The 5 yr old can write his/her dad and tell him what books he's read and his favorite parts of the book, and about what they did that day with the family. You can send him weekly letters from you and the kids along with care packages.... this is all just some of what we've done. Our kids are 13, 6 and 3 and my husband is leaving in August for Germany. He just returned from Iraq in October.

God Bless and good luck! :)

Mr. Goodhi

No..

MALS Grad Student

Wow. You have a litter at home. I am sorry they will be separated from their father for so long.

No, it usually does not get easier. I am sorry for your separation, I know exactly where you are at. I hope you can find activities for you and your children to stay busy and pass time. If you have not tried already, get a webcam so you and your children can do a live chat with Dad if that is available in his deployment situation. Be positive that you can not stop time, and it keeps ticking by. Bringing your family together again soon. Good luck.

!Marine Wife!

I don't have kids so maybe its a bit different for me but I have to agree with the rest as much as I hate to I don't think it gets easier. This is my husband and mine first deployment he's been gone for 4 months. I do think that some days are easier than others though! Stick in there, and try and stay busy, can't be too hard with a 5,3 and 8 month old!

MarathonWomen

Well I haven't done deployments over and over but I think within the course of the deployment it does get easier. The first week (or two) that my husband was gone I was in pretty bad shape. I cried at the drop of a hat, called my parents every day to have someone to talk to and I'm not a phone person at all. We're almost halfway through this one and for the most part I'm just busy taking care of our daughter and living my life. Sure I miss my husband like crazy but it's not that stabbing ache of missing him that made it hard to breathe like it was at first.

So I guess maybe a better way to put it would be that it doesn't get easier but that you adapt. The only thing you can do is to start out just taking it one minute at a time, then one hour at a time, then a day at a time and before you know it, you're almost halfway done! Well that's how it went for me.

Are you a stay at home mom? I am and in some ways that's harder because you don't have a set schedule to keep yourself busy, so I like to plan fun activities to look forward to: taking my daughter to the beach, aquarium, zoo, etc., getting a manicure or haircut.

I hope this helps.

Hunter O

Try downloading skype its a great free program that will let you see the video and audio form your home computer.
I know how hard trying to talk over the phone is skype will let you contact him more and seeing his face and voice will help too.

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