Pre-Deployment Check List for Deployed Parents

Deployed Parent Checklists: Pre-deployment
Use these checklists to help you prepare yourself and your family for your deployment.

Communicating with Children:
Deployment is a stressful time for all family members, especially children. Communicating with children during this time of uncertainty can help ease their stress. Use the checklist below to guide you as you talk to your children about leaving.
As a Parent, I:

___ Am available to my children whenever they need to talk.

___ Allow my children to ask questions.

___ Give open and honest answers using words that they can understand.

___ Encourage my children to share feelings through words, play, drawings, etc.

___ Talk to my children about the changes to come for everyone.

___ Remind my children and myself that separation can be a time for everyone to grow.

___ Assure my children that I will miss them every day and look forward to returning home.

As a Family, We:

___ Talk about why and when I will be leaving and where I will be going, if possible.

___ Talk about what it means to be on alert, if that is my status.

___ Discuss ways we can communicate while I'm away.

___ Find some time to talk about feelings.

___ Discuss ways to feel connected while I'm away.

A printable version of this is available HERE.